Índice de los derechos humanos

c) complaints of abuse of power and improper use of force as means of control, particularly during demonstrations and protests

r) adopt measures to improve material conditions of detention in prisons and prevent both prisoner-on-prisoner violence and violence against prisoners by prison personnel
r) strengthen independent prison inspection procedures

n) programmes on violence against children
c) allegations of ill-treatment and reported sub-standard conditions of prisons throughout the country
c) fact that children continue to be kept in extremely poor prison conditions and by reports of children dying in custody

c) treatment of persons seeking asylum or refuge, especially those entering country from Colombia, chiefly because of lack of national legislation establishing selection criteria for asylum seekers even though there are bilateral arrangements between Colombia and Venezuela on such matters
c) possible breach of principle of non-refoulement

c) information on trafficking in women, especially from neighbouring countries, and lack of information from delegation on extent of problem and action to combat it

r) immediately repeal legislation (provision exempting rapist from any penalty if he marries the victim) incompatible with arts 3, 7, 23, 26, 2 (3) and 24 ICCPR taking into account early age at which girls can enter marriage

w) entry into force on 30 December 1999 of new Constitution of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which contains areas of progress in human rights
w) in particular, following aspects of Constitution:
- it recognizes right of individuals to submit petitions or complaints to international bodies established for purpose in order to seek protection for their human rights; this recognition is in accordance with declaration by State in 1994 under article 22 of CAT
- it requires to investigate and impose penalties on human rights offences, declares that action to punish them is not subject to statute of limitations and excludes any measure implying impunity, such as amnesty or general pardon
- it requires offences concerning human rights violations and crimes against humanity to be heard in ordinary courts
- it imposes on State obligation of compensating in full victims of human rights violations and recognizes right to rehabilitation of victims of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, inflicted or tolerated by agents of State
- it makes compulsory extradition of persons charged with human rights offences, and makes provision for brief, public, oral procedure for trying them

w) adoption of various legislative provisions and establishment of units in various sectors of administration as indication of importance assigned to better protection and promotion of human rights
Important instances of such provisions are organization acts on states of emergency, on refugees and asylum-seekers, on Public Prosecutor's Office and on protection of children and young people
Among units established, mention should be made of Human Rights Department of Ministry of Interior and Justice

c) information on threats to and harassment of persons who bring complaints of ill‑treatment against police officers and lack of adequate protection for witnesses and victims

c) failure, despite extensive legal reforms undertaken, to classify torture as specific offence in legislation, in accordance with definition in article 1 of CAT

c) conditions in prisons and places of detention since delegation acknowledged most human rights violations occur in such places; overcrowding and failure to segregate detainees awaiting judgement from convicts are incompatible with ICCPR

c) numerous instances in prisons of prisoner-on-prisoner violence and violence against prisoners by prison officers, which have led to serious injuries and in some cases to death
c) precarious material conditions in prisons

n) programmes on violence against children
c) allegations of ill-treatment and reported sub-standard conditions of prisons throughout the country
c) fact that children continue to be kept in extremely poor prison conditions and by reports of children dying in custody