The Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Minister Stefano Pisotti, took the floor today during the Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Venezuela, in the framework of the 56th session of the Human Rights Council.
“The ongoing political, economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela remains deeply concerning”, Minister Pisotti stated, mentioning the reported cases of arbitrary arrests and detention, some of which may amount to enforced disappearances, as well as acts of persecution and intimidation of political activists, human rights defenders, journalists and any other dissenting voice. He then referred to the potential impact of possible restrictions to the right to freedom of association on the ability of civil society to carry out its work.
In view of the upcoming Presidential elections, the Deputy Permanent Representative therefore called on Venezuela to fully implement the Barbados Agreement and to ensure free and competitive elections, that encompass full and credible international electoral observation missions. He also urged the unconditional release of all persons arbitrarily deprived of liberty, through the implementation of the decisions of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
He finally encouraged the Venezuelan authorities to meaningfully cooperate with the OHCHR and all other relevant human rights mechanisms, stress in particular the importance of the resumption of all the Office’s activities in the country, including the unfettered access to all regions and detention centres.
Read the full statement here.
