Delivered by: Mr Fredrik Nivaeus, Minister Counselor, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN in Geneva
Mr President,
Madam High Commissioner,
Sweden fully supports the work of the High Commissioner and the Fact-Finding Mission and is grateful for the written update.
We continue to be deeply concerned about the humanitarian and human rights situation in Venezuela. The daily lives of the Venezuelan people continue to be scarred by the lack of justice, security and respect for human rights. We urge the authorities to immediately and unconditionally end the systematic human rights violations and abuses. The perpetrators must be brought to justice and the prevailing impunity end.
We also exhort Venezuelan authorities to cease criminalizing the work of political opponents, human rights defenders, civil society organizations, journalists and other media workers, union leaders and other individuals that document or denounce such violations or are perceived to interfere with government interests.
We call on the Venezuelan Government to engage in peaceful, political negotiations in good faith, as a step towards the reinstitution of democracy, rule of law and human rights in Venezuela.
Given the current situation, how could the international community in your opinion best contribute to bringing Venezuela’s administration of justice in line with international standards?
I thank you.