The APT joined a statement by 124 civil society organisations from around the world, calling on the international community to press Venezuela to revoke the recent “State of Exception and Emergency Decree” that grant the government powers to restrict rights, suspend international cooperation for civil society groups, including human rights organizations, and limit the constitutional powers of the National Assembly.
The Decree, adopted by President Maduro on 13 May 2016, declared a state of exception in the country for 60 days, granting his government the power to potentially restrict human rights. Among the concerns expressed is the fact that such new powers can lead to arbitrary detentions and weaken safeguards against torture.