From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: AI: Venezuela
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 01:09:27 GMT

/** reg.samerica: 302.0 **/
** Topic: IPS:VENEZUELA-Human rights abuses **
** Written  9:41 pm  Dec 15, 1992 by jbinder in cdp:reg.samerica **
From: James Binder <jbinder>
Subject: IPS:VENEZUELA-Human rights abuses

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Latin America
Title: VENEZUELA: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL DECRIES HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

caracas, dec 8 (ips) -- amnesty international on tuesday
condemned human rights violations registered in venezuela during
and since the country's nov. 27 attempted coup and called on
president carlos andres perez to institute measures to prevent
further abuses.

in a letter signed by the international human rights
organisation's secretary general herve berger, amnesty expressed
its ''deep concern'' over reports of civilian deaths caused by
''the excessive or arbitrary use of firearms on the part of
security forces.''

according to venezuela's human rights education-action
programm (provea), at least 22 civilians died at the hands of
military rebels and state security forces, during the failed
military coup.

two journalists, three students and one eight year old child
were among the dead.

the amnesty letter calls for release of the names of the dead,
as well as, respect for the human rights of prisoners being held
in connection to the coup and prisoners at the nation's principal
prison, who staged a riot during the attempted putsch.

amnesty presented perez a report of nov. 27-28 events at the
catia prison, where ''at least 63 prisoners were killed and 58
others injured, some seriously, during an apparent uprising.''

the uprising lasted 36 hours, during which time inmates sent
written pleas and cried for help through the small windows at the
prison.

one policeman and one member of the military national guard
also died in the incident.

the last world report issued by amnesty cited ''the extremely
hard prison conditions'' as venezuela's most serious human rights
problem.

the international organisation also dencounced reports of
security force abuses registered since the suspension of
constitutional guarantees, following the first attempted coup on
feb. 4.

amongst these abuses, amnesty cited ''the extra-judicial
execution of at least five people and the torture of many
others.''

amnesty asked perez insure that the suspension of two further
constitutional guarantees since nov. 27 ''not affect the rights
of the detained'' and not be used against ''prisoners of
conscience.'' (more/ips)
----


venezuela: amnesty (2)

the government has adopted wide-ranging powers in terms of
searches and arrests, and justified them based upon the need to
discover all the civilian and military ramifications of the
latest coup.

provea has denounced the detention of at least 200 civilians
since the putsch, although other sources place the figure as high
as 500.

for its part, the defense ministry has claimed to be holding
500 prisoners, 100 of these are officers.

amnesty international considers it ''indispensible that free
and unrestricted access, as guaranteed by law, be granted to
representatives of the public ministry to all the civilian and
military detention centres.''

moreover, the organisation said it ''is essential that a
central and public registry of detainees be opened'' and that the
prisoners have access to legal advice and medical attention.

the amnesty letter also demanded that all those guilty of
human rights abuses be tried by competent tribunals.

detainees being held in connection with the failed coup are
being charged with rebelion and will be tried by a military
tribunal that hopes to pass sentences before christmas day.
(end/ips/trd/so/caf/ds/eli/92)
----


** End of text from cdp:reg.samerica **

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