An international rights group has reported widespread abuses by Venezuela’s security forces and pro-government armed groups following the disputed presidential election in July.
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the national guard, police force, and armed groups known as “colectivos” were responsible for the deaths of 23 protesters during the post-election protests that erupted after President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner.
Thousands of people, including minors, took to the streets to protest the election results, which the opposition claimed were fraudulent.
In response, Maduro and his allies launched a crackdown, carrying out arbitrary detentions and encouraging citizens to report anyone involved in the protests or questioning the election outcome.
HRW’s Americas director, Juanita Goebertus, described the repression in Venezuela as shockingly brutal and called for urgent action to protect the rights of protesters and ensure electoral integrity.
The group documented 23 protester deaths and one member of the Bolivarian National Guard, with most of the killings occurring on July 29 and 30.
HRW independently verified eleven cases through death certificates, videos, photographs, and interviews with witnesses and local sources. Forensic experts also analyzed the injuries and weapons used in the killings.
One of the victims detailed in the report is civil engineer and food truck worker Rances Daniel…
Article from www.aljazeera.com