UN Rights Experts Welcome Venezuelan Draft Amnesty Law, Urge Human Rights Safeguards

UN experts said the law could be crucial for victims and their families and for Venezuelan society as a whole, but emphasized that its scope must be broad and inclusive.

UN human rights experts have welcomed the draft amnesty law currently before Venezuela’s National Assembly, while stressing that it must apply to all victims of unlawful prosecution and be part of a broader transitional justice process aligned with international standards.

The Draft Bill on Amnesty, Reconciliation and National Reunification, made public on 6 February 2026, proposes granting amnesty to individuals detained, prosecuted or convicted for political offences and related crimes. The measure is being debated in the legislature as part of ongoing efforts to address Venezuela’s long-standing political tensions and large numbers of political detainees. (OHCHR)

Call for Inclusive Scope and Protection of Civil Liberties

UN experts said the law could be crucial for victims and their families and for Venezuelan society as a whole, but emphasized that its scope must be broad and inclusive.

They highlighted the need for the draft law to explicitly recognise people who were arbitrarily detained or prosecuted for exercising fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, opinion, assembly, association and information, including human rights defenders. They warned that individuals forced into exile because of political persecution should not be required to return until it is clear the amnesty would apply to their cases. (OHCHR)

Exclusion of Serious Crimes and Oversight Guarantees

To comply with international standards, the experts underscored that amnesty must be limited to victims of human rights violations and should exclude serious crimes, including serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity, across all actors — whether state, paramilitary or non-state. (OHCHR)

They stressed the importance of effective oversight by victims and civil society to prevent misuse or misapplication of the law, and to ensure the process is transparent and consistent with human rights obligations. (OHCHR)

Transitional Justice Framework Recommended

The stated purpose of the draft legislation is to promote peace, democratic coexistence and national reconciliation. However, the experts emphasised that amnesty must be embedded in a comprehensive transitional justice process that includes:

• **Truth-seeking mechanisms

• Accountability for past abuses

• Reparation for victims

• Institutional and legal reforms** dismantling systems that enabled political persecution

Such reforms would include revisiting legal tools historically used to curb civic space and punish dissent. (OHCHR)

Immediate Human Rights Demands

UN human rights experts have also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals arbitrarily detained, including human rights defenders, and for the disclosure of the fate and whereabouts of any still registered as disappeared. (OHCHR)

The experts have been in contact with the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela regarding the draft law and its implementation. (OHCHR)