Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 17th Feb. UN human rights office in Geneva on Friday said that it is evaluating next steps, while continue to engage with authorities in Venezuela after the Government ordered the UN office must suspend operations in the country and its staff to leave, within 72 hours.
OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement that the Office regretted the announcement and that it continues to engage with the authorities and other stakeholders.
“Our guiding principle has been and remains the promotion and protection of the human rights of the people of Venezuela,” she added.
OHCHR said in a post on X that it was following up on the detention of human rights defender Rocío San Miguel “with deep concern.”
“Her whereabouts remain unknown, potentially qualifying her detention as an enforced disappearance,” it said, called for her immediate release and for her right to legal defence to be respected.
Venezuelan government made announcement, the Office said on X: “Following statements by the authorities, we note that Rocio San Miguel’s place of detention thus her whereabouts has been confirmed” and that four of her relatives had been conditionally released.
It called for due process guarantees, including respect for the right to defence representation.
OHCHR has been working in Venezuela, providing technical assistance and monitoring the situation to protect and promote respect for human rights, enhance rule of law and protect democratic space since October of 2019.
OHCHR has been providing support for inclusive and participatory development of the second National Plan for Human Rights and the establishing a national mechanism for reporting and follow-up of recommendations of international human rights mechanisms.
According to the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, Rocío San Miguel, the president of a civil society organization Control Ciudadano, was detained by authorities on 9 February
The Fact-Finding Mission said in a statement that Venezuelan security forces detained Ms. San Miguel, “as she was trying to board a flight with her daughter at Simón Bolívar International Airport”.
Marta Valiñas, chairperson of the Fact-Finding Mission, had called on the authorities to provide information on Ms. San Miguel and her daughter, as well as “all detainees whose places of detention are still unknown”.
“It is incumbent upon the Government to refrain from using repressive measures contrary to its international human rights and international criminal law obligations,” Ms. Valiñas added.
FFM was established by the UN Human Rights Council in September for a period of one year, to assess alleged human rights violations committed since 2014. Its mandate has been extended until September 2024.
