E/CN.4/1997/7/Add.3
page 3
Introduction
1.
In 1994 the Special Rapporteur on torture of the Commission on Human
Rights requested authorization from the Government of Venezuela to visit the
country in the context of his mandate, principally in the light of reports
received of cases of torture repeatedly occurring in the country. The visit
ultimately took place from 7 to 16 June 1996, and enabled the Special
Rapporteur to meet his overall objective of gathering first-hand oral and
written information from a wide number of persons to enable him to make a
better assessment of the situation as regards the use of torture in Venezuela.
2.
During his visit the Special Rapporteur met with the President of the
Republic, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Interior, Defence, Justice and
the Secretariat of the President’s Office, the Governor of the Federal
District, Attorney-General and other officials of the Attorney-General's
Office, President of the Supreme Court of Justice, President and
Vice-President of the Judicature Council, Director of Prisons, President and
members of the Sub-Commission on Human Rights and Constitutional Guarantees of
the Chamber of Deputies, Director-General of the criminal investigations
police (PTJ), Director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Director-General
of the Metropolitan Police (PM), Director-General of Intelligence and
Prevention Services (DISIP) and Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard. He
also met with torture victims and their families and with representatives of
non-governmental organizations, including the following: Comité de Familiares
de Víctimas de los Sucesos de Febrero-Marzo 89 (Committee of Relatives of the
Victims of the Events of February-March 89) (Cofavic), Comité de Derechos
Humanos del Municipio Autónomo Páez (Human Rights Committee of the Autonomous
Municipality of Páez), Oficina de Derechos Humanos del Vicariato Apostólico de
Puerto Ayacucho (Human Rights Office of the Archdiocese of Puerto Ayacucho),
Programa Venezolano de Educación-Acción en Derechos Humanos (Venezuelan
Programme of Education and Action in the Field of Human Rights) (Provea),
Red de Apoyo por la Justicia y la Paz (Support Network for Justice and Peace)
and Vicaría de Derechos Humanos de la Arquidiócesis de Caracas (Human Rights
Office of the Archdiocese of Caracas).
3.
On 13 June the Special Rapporteur travelled to Maracaibo, where he met
with the Minister of the Interior of the State of Zulia and the Prefect of the
Municipality of Maracaibo, the Commander-in-Chief of National Guard Regional
Command No. 3 and the Zulia State Police Commissioner, and with
representatives of various non-governmental organizations, such as the Equipo
de Monitores en Derechos Humanos and the Comisión de Justicia y Paz del
Secretariado Conjunto de Religiosos y Religiosas de Venezuela (Secorve).
The Special Rapporteur also visited several detention centres in Caracas and
Maracaibo, where he met with management and staff.
4.
The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the Government of Venezuela for
enabling him to conduct his visit and providing him with the most extensive
cooperation, which greatly facilitated his task. He also expresses his
appreciation to the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development
Programme in Venezuela and her staff for their valuable cooperation in
connection with the visit.