UN mission reveals that the Maduro regime committed crimes against humanity before, during and after the presidential election

The United Nations (U.N.) Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela released a new report documenting a troubling increase in human rights violations and crimes against victims who have been targets of the unprecedented repression in the country.

"The Mission’s report confirms the conclusion that some of the serious human rights violations investigated during this period were committed following the same course of conduct previously qualified by the mission as crimes against humanity. Furthermore, such violations, committed with discriminatory intent, amounts to the crime against humanity of persecution on political grounds based on the identity of the victims," the mission explained in a statement published on its official website.

Similarly, according to the mission, 25 people were shot and killed in the recent wave of violence in the country. Hundreds more were injured, and thousands more were arrested simply for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of speech.

Likewise, the agency revealed the perpetrators of these violations. According to the investigations, 29 of the arrests during the pre-electoral period were carried out by state intelligence services, SEBIN, involved in 15 arrests, and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM), involved in 17 arrests.

The National Bolivarian Police (PNB), through the Directorate of Strategic and Tactical Actions (DAET) was also involved in seven arrests, which were carried out by the Criminal Investigation Division (DIP) and the Strategic Intelligence Division (DIE). Officials of these agencies were also mentioned by the mission for making arrests without warrants, holding detainees without communication, mistreating and interrogating them.

In addition, the mission expressed its concern over the arbitrary detention of minors and demanded the release of political prisoners. There are more than 1,900 people detained for political reasons in the country, according to Venezuelan organization Foro Penal.

"The Mission reiterates its call for the State to release all individuals arbitrarily detained and respect both the physical and psychological integrity of detainees and their right to due process. The international community and the relevant UN organizations should pay special attention to the protection of the rights of children under these circumstances," the mission detailed.

Beyond security forces, the report also mentions other institutions, such as the National Electoral Council, which failed to comply with fundamental measures of transparency and integrity. In the case of the National Assembly, it explained that it "played a key role in the approval of new laws that violate human rights and limit civic and democratic space" and that the justice system "continued to function without due process."