On Thursday, the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela published its second report, analysing the Venezuelan justice system’s central role in perpetuating human rights violations and crimes.

“The Mission found reasonable grounds to believe that Venezuelan authorities and security forces have since 2014 planned and executed serious human rights violations, some of which – including arbitrary killings and the systematic use of torture – amount to crimes against humanity,” said Marta Valiñas, chairperson of the Mission.

The Mission also investigated targeted repression by State intelligence agencies.

The Mission was established through the UN Human Rights Council and it has a mandate until September 2022 to investigate extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture, and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, including those involving sexual and gender-based violence, committed in Venezuela since 2014.

“The Venezuelan State must hold to account those responsible for extrajudicial executions,” the report said. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26247&LangID=E

“While recognising the nature of the crisis and tensions in the country, and the responsibilities of the State to maintain public order, the Mission found the Government, State agents, and groups working with them had committed egregious violations. It identified patterns of violations and crimes that were highly coordinated pursuant to State policies, and part of a widespread and systematic course of conduct, thus amounting to crimes against humanity.”

Aljazeera/United Nations Human Rights.