Speaking before the Geneva-based Human Rights Council today, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, presented a stark update on the human rights situations in Venezuela and Ukraine, warning of declining conditions in both countries.

Venezuela: Intensified Crackdown and Militarization

High Commissioner Türk reported that the human rights situation in Venezuela has deteriorated since his last briefing in June, pointing to a severe contraction of civic space.

“The crackdown on civic space has intensified, suffocating people’s freedoms,” Mr. Türk stated, citing an increase in arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances.

Key Concerns Highlighted:

• Militarization of Public Life: Mr. Türk warned that public life is becoming “increasingly militarized,” raising the risk of violence. His Office (OHCHR) received reports of coerced enlistment into the Bolivarian Militia, including adolescents and older people, and accounts of authorities using a state-sponsored mobile app to encourage citizens to report on relatives and neighbors.
• Targeting of Civil Society: Journalists, human rights defenders, opposition figures, and humanitarian workers continue to face severe threats, harassment, and arbitrary detention, forcing many into exile.
• Detention Conditions: The High Commissioner voiced grave concern over prison conditions, citing persistent shortages of food and medicine and the denial of family visits, which have impacted detainees’ physical and mental health, leading to fatalities in some cases.
• Call for Release: While acknowledging the release of at least 51 detainees since June, Mr. Türk urged the unconditional release of all individuals arbitrarily detained for exercising their civil rights and demanded an end to enforced disappearances and incommunicado detention.

Ukraine: Escalation in Civilian Casualties

Turning to Ukraine, Mr. Türk noted that nearly four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, civilian harm is intensifying, primarily due to expanded missile and drone attacks by Moscow.

“No part of the country is safe,” he warned, highlighting a 24 per cent rise in casualties compared with last year. Nationwide strikes targeting energy infrastructure have left millions without power, heating, and water as winter approaches.

The High Commissioner strongly condemned extrajudicial executions, torture, and sexual violence against prisoners of war. He urged both Russia and Ukraine to fully uphold international law, stressing that accountability for these acts remains essential.

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Concluding his remarks on the conflict, Mr. Türk underscored the immediate need for an end to hostilities, stating: “They need the silencing of the guns.”

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