BOGOTA — Venezuelan state security forces systematically abused opposition protesters detained during months of deadly political unrest earlier this year, Human Rights Watch charged Wednesday. “The strategy used against my country from certain centres of power is a clear example of the use of human rights as a political weapon,” Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told the United Nations’ human rights council in September. In conjunction with Venezuelan rights group Foro Penal, Human Rights Watch documented 88 cases involving 314 people described as being victims of excessive force and arbitrary arrests. Human Rights Watch said it withheld the names of the witnesses out of fear they could suffer retaliation. Human Rights Watch says it found no evidence that high-level officials have taken any steps to prevent or punish the violations.

Source: National Post November 29, 2017 05:02 UTC