Venezuela before the UN Committee on Torture

For the first time in a decade, Venezuela will appear before the UN Committee against Torture. On November 6, the government of Venezuela will be given the chance to address a series of submissions presented to the committee by regional human rights organisations. The session is part of the month long session convened by the UN Committee against Torture, a body of 10 independent experts that monitors the Conventions implementation by State parties. In its briefing document to the Committee, Amnesty international says that despite "important measures" to combat torture having been implemented since 2013:   "Over the past months, during protests both for and against the government, there has been compelling evidence of the excessive use of force by security forces, and dozens of protesters have reported torture or other ill-treatment." More…