Human rights in Venezuela were first mentioned with the advent of democracy in 1958 (brief 3-year period of democratization, 1945-8). Some human rights organizations have criticized the Venezuelan government for respecting human rights, including the situation of freedom of the press, equality of women, and prison conditions. Two Human Rights Watch activists were expelled from the country for publishing a critical report. [one]
Content
Legal Basics
| Key UN Documents [2] | Venezuelan participation | OAS Key Documents [3] | Venezuelan participation |
| International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination | Ratification in 1967 | American Convention on Human Rights | Denunciation in 2012 |
| International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights | Ratification in 1978 | San Salvador Protocol | Signed in 1989 |
| Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights | Ratification in 1978 | Protocol abolishing the death penalty | Ratification in 1993 |
| Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights | Ratification in 1993 | Inter-American Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Torture | Ratification in 1991 |
| International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights | Ratification in 1978 | Inter-American Convention on Enforced Disappearance of Persons | Ratification in 1999 |
| Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women | Ratification in 1983 | Inter-American Convention on the Civil Rights of Women | Ratification in 1993 |
| Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women | Ratification in 2002 | Inter-American Convention on the Political Rights of Women | Ratification in 1993 |
| Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | Ratification in 1991 | Inter-American Convention on the Prevention of Violence against Women | Ratification in 1995 |
| Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | Signed in 2011 | Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities | Ratification in 2006 |
| Convention on the Rights of the Child | Ratification in 1990 | . | . |
| Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict | Ratification in 2003 | . | . |
| Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography | Ratification in 2002 | . | . |
| International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families | Not signed | . | . |
| Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Joining in 2013 | . | . |
| Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | Not signed | . | . |
History
1958-1989
Caracaso, 1989
1990s
Human rights are enshrined in the third section of the constitution adopted in 1999. This constitution also established the post of Ombudsman in the country.
2000
Civil and Political Rights
Freedom of the Press
Justice System
Venezuelan Political Prisoners
Famous Political Prisoners
Eligie Cedeno
Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni
Richard Blanco
Human Trafficking
Agrarian violence
Prison system
Police Violence and Extrajudicial Executions
Economic, social and cultural rights
Patronage
Fifth Republic
Gender Equality and Sexual Orientation
Indigenous Rights
Relations with international organizations
Human Rights Watch
Inter-American Human Rights Commission
European Parliament
Notes
- β Amnesty International Report 2009 The State of Human Rights in the World, Amnesty International, pp. 354-355
- β Status of human rights treaties in the UN database
- β Data on the ratification of OAS treaties
Links
- Human Rights Watch / Venezuela
- Amnesty International page about Venezuela
- Human rights in Venezuela Venezuelan Embassy in the USA, 2011
- Website of the Venezuelan Ombudsman (Spanish)
- Venezuelan Constitution (Spanish)
- Human Rights in Venezuela at the OHCHR Portal
- Report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights , 2009
- Venezuelan Foreign Ministry Note on the Denunciation of the AHRC , 2012
- A Decade Under ChΓ‘vez Human Rights Watch 2008
- More Than 100 Latin America Experts Question Human Rights Watch's Venezuela Report en: Venezuelanalysis.com 2008
- Head of Human Rights Watch Responds to Scholars' Criticism of Venezuela Report en: Council on Hemispheric Affairs 2009
- Academics Respond to Human Rights Watch Director's Defense of Venezuela Report en: Venezuelanalysis.com 2009
- Head of Human Rights Watch Responds to Scholars' Criticism of Venezuela Report en: Council on Hemispheric Affairs 2009
- More Than 100 Latin America Experts Question Human Rights Watch's Venezuela Report en: Venezuelanalysis.com 2008