Amnesty-Venezuela issues strong condemnation of Venezuelan government

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, June 08, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Amnesty International (AI) Venezuela has criticized what it calls a "cocktail of laws" passed by President Hugo Chavez Frias' government and warns that it could unleash a crisis of human rights. 

AI Venezuela director, Marcos Gomez goes back to laws passed since December 2001, which he claims caused 66 deaths and more than 849 wounded persons, as well as a deterioration of economic, social and cultural rights and the appearance of irregular and armed actors that have been seen acting with weapons. 

Taking the media content law, anti-terrorist law and criminal code reforms as examples of dangerous laws, Gomez says AI-Venezuela is concerned not just about the background of the laws but also the way reforms are brought about, adding that the above-mentioned laws are against constitutional principles, such as continuity, non-discrimination, subordination to the Constitution, international and institutional responsibility to reinforce the rule of law.

The strong-worded criticism comes a day after the National Assembly (AN)  pro-government bench held its first session outside of the Capitolio without the presence of opposition deputies passing internal procedures reform.