UN defends Venezuelan criminals | World News |Axisoflogic.com

A cardboard cutout of Leopoldo Lopez, who is accused of masterminding a campaign of violence. (Photo: Reuters)

The United Nations' top human rights official Monday came to the defense of the alleged mastermind of a wave of political violence that shook Venezuela earlier this year.

“I call on the Venezuelan authorities to act on the opinions of the (U.N.) working group and immediately release Mr. Lopez and Mr. Ceballos, as well as all those detained for exercising their legitimate right to express themselves and protest peacefully,” U.N. high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein stated.

The working group referred to by Zeid ruled in September that far-right opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez and former opposition mayor Daniel Ceballos were arrested by Venezuelan authorities arbitrarily.

Ceballos was found guilty in March of disobeying an order from Venezuela's High Court to dismantle barricades used by right wing groups to block streets in the city of San Cristobal, where he was mayor.

San Cristobal was the epicenter of a campaign by opposition groups to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to resign.

Opposition groups described as “peacefully” protesting by Zeid are alleged to have killed at least 20 people nationwide, and hundreds more wounded.

One victim was decapitated by a wire trap near a barricade, while a handful of others were gunned down by armed groups operating barricades.

Another 23 people were killed in connection to the violence, including barricaders and random members of the public. Over 3000 people were detained by security forces in relation to the violence, though almost all have been released without charge or suspended sentences.

Lopez is currently facing a trial for allegedly masterminding the violent campaign, and Zeid says a total of 69 people may still be in custody in relation to the violence.

Zeid's demands have received support from Human Rights Watch (HRW).

According to EFE, HRW Americas head Jose Miguel Vivanco stated Venezuela must “fulfill its international obligations on human rights.”

However, HRW itself has been accused by its critics of turning a blind eye to human rights abuses committed by Venezuela's right wing groups.

On February 21, HRW released a report on the opposition barricades stating there was no evidence of “anti-government protesters carrying firearms or using lethal force against security forces or third parties."

The day before the report was released, a sniper killed the brother of a socialist party legislator, Arturo Alexis Martinez.

Martinez was trying to clear a street of barricades at the time of the shooting.

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