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The amnesty is aimed at promoting peace, democratic coexistence and national reconciliation as the South American country enters a new era following the seizure of former President Nicolas Maduro by the United States.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It passed unanimously on 5 February by Venezuelan legislators in the first of two readings.<\/p>\n
The amnesty \u201coffers an opportunity to provide justice and alleviate the suffering of the many people who have been unlawfully detained for political reasons<\/strong> in Venezuela,\u201d said Alex Neve, a member of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Venezuela.<\/p>\n \u201cThis law has the potential to contribute to restoring rights and repairing Venezuela\u2019s social fabric, but the voices of the countless Venezuelans whose rights have been violated in the country\u2019s prisons, as well as the civil society organizations who have assisted and defended them, must be at the centre of this process<\/strong>,\u201d Mr. Neve said.<\/p>\n Following years of political violence in Venezuela, many politicians, activists and journalists have been charged with crimes such as terrorism or treason – according to\u00a0human rights groups.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to media reports over 300 political prisoners have been released since 8 January but many political prisoners remain in detention<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The UN human rights experts have raised concerns about how the amnesty will be enacted, stating that its \u201clegitimacy and impact depend on a transparent and inclusive process that is fully grounded in international human rights law.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In a statement released by the\u00a0United Nations Human Rights Council, the investigators warned of the \u201cabsence of informed, inclusive, and safe public consultations<\/strong>\u201d and emphasised the need for \u2018a transparent process, with meaningful participation from victims, their families and civil society.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Fact-Finding Mission expert Maria Quintero, stated that it was \u201cadvisable for the judicial verification procedure to include the participation of victims and their families, their representatives, and human rights organizations, in order to prevent the law from being instrumentalized or applied in a manner incompatible with international standards.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n She added, \u201cwe must not forget accountability.\u201d<\/p>\nThe broader picture\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Transparency essential<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Calls for participation\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n