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UN human rights chief cites continued abuses

Published:Tuesday | September 10, 2019 | 12:14 AM
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, attends the opening of 42nd session of the Human Rights Council at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, attends the opening of 42nd session of the Human Rights Council at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

CARACAS (AP):

The United Nations’ chief human rights official says millions of Venezuelans continue to suffer rights violations, including possible extrajudicial killings carried out by a special police force.

Michelle Bachelet gave an oral report on Venezuela to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday. It follows a scathing written report issued in July that drew a government backlash.

Bachelet says non-governmental organisations report that the Special Action police force carried out 57 suspected extrajudicial killings in July alone within Caracas.

She had called for officials to dismantle the unit.

Bachelet also says groups collaborating with her in the earlier report have come under criticism and threats by senior officials.

President Nicolás Maduro’s government didn’t immediately respond to Bachelet’s latest comments, but rejected earlier criticism as biased and demanded corrections.