By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
CARACAS, Venezuela — The Opposition-controlled National Assembly of Venezuela has passed an amnesty law which would free a number of imprisoned opposition activists and end the legal cases being brought against others. President Nicolas Maduro, who heads the government-supported Socialist Party, has promised to strike down the law.
Venezuela’s constitution does not give the president veto powers. However, following the passing of a law by the National Assembly, Maduro has 10 days to sign the law into effect, or it is deferred to the Supreme Court. The Court then has 15 days to make a ruling on the law.
The Court is notorious for siding with the Executive, and has shot down most of what the National Assembly has tried to do since taking office in January, including allowing Maduro to rule by decree on issues related to the economy.
In order to declare the amnesty constitutional, the court must find that the beneficiaries of the law have committed crimes against humanity, or otherwise violated human rights.
Over 70 political prisoners would be freed by the bill, including Leopoldo Lopez. Lopez is considered by many to be Venezuela’s highest profile political prisoner. He was jailed in 2014 for allegedly spurring protests which resulted in the deaths of 40 people. He was convicted of “public incitement to violence and criminal association” last year, in a trial which has been called a “complete travesty of justice” by Human Rights Watch.
Maduro and his supporters deny that Lopez and others like him are political prisoners, instead calling them, “imprisoned politicians.” Speaking on television hours before the bill was passed, Maduro said: “Laws to protect terrorists and criminals will not get past me, no matter what they do.”
Opposition politicians have stated that no one who would be released by the law has been accused of homicide.
For more information, please see:
Associated Press – Venezuela Opposition Passes Bill to Free Imprisoned Activist – 29 March 2016
Financial Times – Venezuelan congress passes amnesty law – 30 March 2016
Media with Conscience – Venezuela congresses passes bill to free jailed activists – 30 March 2016
Reuters – Venezuela parliament approves amnesty law, Maduro vows to veto – 30 March 2016
UPI – Venezuela’s Maduro vows to veto amnesty bill passed by National Assembly – 30 March 2016
