The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk remarks to the Human Rights Council on Venezuela
« Permítanme comenzar expresando mis más sinceras condolencias a quienes han perdido a familiares y seres queridos en los terremotos ocurridos el miércoles. Mis pensamientos están con las personas que resultaron heridas y con sus familias, que hoy enfrentan dolor, incertidumbre y un camino difícil por delante. Nuestra solidaridad con el pueblo de Venezuela en este difícil momento. » (Let me start by expressing my deepest condolences to those who lost family members and friends in the earthquakes that struck on Wednesday. My thoughts are with those who were injured, as well as with their families, as they face pain, uncertainty, and the long road ahead. We stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela at this difficult time,”) Türk said.
“Since 1 May 2025, my Office has confirmed the release of more than 1,200 people, although many still have conditions attached to their freedom. Most of them were detained in the post-election period of July 2024,” the High Commissioner said.
“My report notes some 40 cases of arbitrary detention during 2025, including opposition politicians, human rights defenders, journalists, union members and humanitarians.”
“Access to justice and accountability remained constrained. The conviction of eight police officers on charges related to killings during security operations is an important step. However, no progress was reported on investigating deaths during protests in 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2024. Nor have the authorities opened investigations into alleged human rights violations by the armed forces during operation Zaraza in 2024, including the killing of 30 people,” Türk said.
The UN Human Rights Office continues to receive reports of denial of due process, including through lack of access to lawyers and files. The economic situation continued to worsen during the reporting period, and cuts to humanitarian funding took a serious toll.
“The cost of the family food basket increased by more than 700 percent in bolivars between March 2025 and 2026. More than five million Venezuelans need urgent food assistance. Salaries remain low, while inflation is high and volatile. The new standard urban transport fare of 140 bolivars exceeds the monthly salary of public sector workers,” he said.
Most Venezuelans have very limited access to healthcare. While the United States of America has recently granted import licenses in certain economic sectors, sanctions continue to restrict the availability of medical supplies.
“This year has seen a number of positive steps. According to Government figures, more than 8,000 people have benefited from the Amnesty Law adopted in February 2026, including 314 who were released from detention. However, implementation of the law needs to be fully compliant with international human rights law,” Türk said.
“Official announcements about reforms to the Venezuelan justice system are welcome. These reforms, if implemented, are a crucial opportunity to bring institutions and practices into line with international standards,” he said.
“The closure of the Helicoide prison sends an important message. However, the transfer of its inmates to facilities with even poorer conditions, in some cases without notifying their relatives or legal representatives, is a serious concern,” Türk said.
“I have shared a set of Confidence-Building measures, centred on human rights, with the Venezuelan authorities. Broader progress will require structural changes to address grievances and meet people’s basic needs,” Türk said
“It will be essential to establish the truth, find appropriate remedies for those who have suffered, guarantee that there is no repetition of serious human rights violations, and create conditions for reconciliation,” Türk said
“Regular and unhindered access to all places of detention by independent and impartial entities is a priority. My Office stands ready to provide technical support on improving conditions,” Türk said
“Human rights and transparency must be at the heart of Venezuela’s economic recovery. People must be at the centre of financial decisions, and revenues, including those from the oil, gas and critical mineral sectors, must benefit all Venezuelans,” Türk said
“I call on the Venezuelan authorities to cooperate with international human rights and accountability mechanisms, including the Fact-Finding Mission established by the Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court,” Türk said
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Geneva
Ravina Shamdasani - ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Marta Hurtado - marta.hurtadogomez@un.org
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
STORY: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk remarks to the Human Rights Council on Venezuela
TRT: 05:36
SOURCE: OHCHR / UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/Spanish/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 26 June 2026 – Geneva, Switzerland
SHOTLIST
- Exterior shot: Palais des Nations
- Wide shot : Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (Spanish) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Permítanme comenzar expresando mis más sinceras condolencias a quienes han perdido a familiares y seres queridos en los terremotos ocurridos el miércoles. Mis pensamientos están con las personas que resultaron heridas y con sus familias, que hoy enfrentan dolor, incertidumbre y un camino difícil por delante. Nuestra solidaridad con el pueblo de Venezuela en este difícil momento. » (Let me start by expressing my deepest condolences to those who lost family members and friends in the earthquakes that struck on Wednesday. My thoughts are with those who were injured, as well as with their families, as they face pain, uncertainty, and the long road ahead. We stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela at this difficult time.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Since 1 May 2025, my Office has confirmed the release of more than 1,200 people, although many still have conditions attached to their freedom. Most of them were detained in the post-election period of July 2024.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “My report notes some 40 cases of arbitrary detention during 2025, including opposition politicians, human rights defenders, journalists, union members and humanitarians.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Access to justice and accountability remained constrained. The conviction of eight police officers on charges related to killings during security operations is an important step. However, no progress was reported on investigating deaths during protests in 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2024. Nor have the authorities opened investigations into alleged human rights violations by the armed forces during operation Zaraza in 2024, including the killing of 30 people.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “The cost of the family food basket increased by more than 700 per cent in bolivars between March 2025 and 2026. More than five million Venezuelans need urgent food assistance. Salaries remain low, while inflation is high and volatile. The new standard urban transport fare of 140 bolivars exceeds the monthly salary of public sector workers.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “This year has seen a number of positive steps. According to Government figures, more than 8,000 people have benefited from the Amnesty Law adopted in February 2026, including 314 who were released from detention. However, implementation of the law needs to be fully compliant with international human rights law.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Official announcements about reforms to the Venezuelan justice system are welcome. These reforms, if implemented, are a crucial opportunity to bring institutions and practices into line with international standards.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “The closure of the Helicoide prison sends an important message. However, the transfer of its inmates to facilities with even poorer conditions, in some cases without notifying their relatives or legal representatives, is a serious concern.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “I have shared a set of Confidence-Building measures, centred on human rights, with the Venezuelan authorities. Broader progress will require structural changes to address grievances and meet people’s basic needs.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “It will be essential to establish the truth, find appropriate remedies for those who have suffered, guarantee that there is no repetition of serious human rights violations, and create conditions for reconciliation.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Regular and unhindered access to all places of detention by independent and impartial entities is a priority. My Office stands ready to provide technical support on improving conditions.”
- Cutaways: Hall A
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Human rights and transparency must be at the heart of Venezuela’s economic recovery. People must be at the centre of financial decisions, and revenues, including those from the oil, gas and critical mineral sectors, must benefit all Venezuelans.”
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “I call on the Venezuelan authorities to cooperate with international human rights and accountability mechanisms, including the Fact-Finding Mission established by the Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court.”
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , IFRC
Six weeks after Nepal’s deadly flooding disaster, communities are still struggling to rebuild their lives, but they will need sustained help as global warming increases the risk of another Himalayan catastrophe, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
In suspected Russia plague death, testing and monitoring underway – WHO
The death of a lab worker in Russia’s Siberia region has sparked concerns about plague being the cause, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, adding that it was following the situation closely.
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday provided and oral update to the 63rd session of the Human rights Council on Ukraine.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday provided and oral update to the 63rd session of the Human rights Council on the human rights situation in Haiti.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Repeated delays in bringing lifesaving medicines, prosthetics and more from Israel into Gaza risk having devastating consequences on Palestinians who urgently need them in the wartorn enclave, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. “A truck full of non-priority supplies or the right supplies arriving too late, doesn't save lives. That's the question that actually matters," said Dr Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, WHO Representative in the OPT.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DRC: Early access to care and oxygen decisive for Ebola patients’ survival – WHO
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), health workers fighting the country’s largest-ever Ebola outbreak are struggling to overcome critical challenges to patient care, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UN
Civilians in Iran are continuing to feel the consequences of months of conflict and military escalation, the UN’s top official in the country has said, as loss of life, damage to civilian infrastructure and mounting economic pressures leave many facing continued uncertainty.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNICEF
Aid agencies in Yemen highlighted the growing hunger emergency sparked by renewed fighting between Houthi opposition forces and Government troops, after mobile health clinics reported that hundreds of children displaced by the violence are suffering from the most deadly form of malnutrition.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR
Displacement on the rise in Yemen as fighting continues - UNHCR
As hostilities worsen in Yemen, more people have been fleeing their homes, further intensifying the humanitarian crisis within the region, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM , OHCHR , UNFPA , UNOG , UNHCR , WHO
Yemen’s humanitarian crisis growing by the hour amid spike in displacement
Yemenis displaced by renewed fighting have described fleeing for their lives amid shelling and gunfire, aid agencies reported on Friday, while highlighting the dramatic increase in humanitarian needs in the country and in Djibouti, where thousands have sought shelter.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office issued on Friday a report documenting a shocking pattern of sexual violence amid Russia’s full-scale armed attack on Ukraine.
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | WMO
As world’s water reserves change, countries must prepare for a new reality: WMO
New data showing that rivers were at their lowest level for decades last year provides further evidence that the climate crisis is real and countries must act immediately to protect themselves from the increasing threat to communities and livelihoods, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.
The key findings from WMO’s State of Global Water Resources 2025 report covering the hydrological cycle and extreme events in the five-year period to last year:
- 2025 was one of driest years for river discharge in 35 years
- Past seven years have seen abnorfmal river flows
- Water storage on Earth’s land surface has decreased in past decade
- Widespread glacier loss across all regions for fourth consecutive year
- Asia and Africa are regions most affected by water-related disasters
- Water data availability has improved, but gaps remain in hard-hit areas
Highlighting the long-term decline in the Earth’s freshwater storage and glacier melt, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo explained that the planet’s water reserves used to act as a planetary “savings account” that absorbed the occasional dry season, avoiding a water crisis. “One of the central stories of the 2025 report is what is happening to that savings account? And the simple answer is that we are depleting it,” she told journalists in Geneva.
Groundwater reserves are equally stretched and have been in decline since 2014, WMO’s report states, with nearly two-thirds of monitored wells worldwide showing levels lower than the historical norm and indicating a shift “further toward deficit…not recovery”.
“At the same time, we are seeing more water-related disasters,” Ms. Saulo said, while also stressing that the currently strengthening El Niño “will increase the risk of drought in some areas, and flooding in others”.
Glaciers disappearing
In 2025, for the fourth consecutive year, every major glaciated region on Earth lost ice mass, leading to short-term hazards including floods and long-term water insecurity, according to WMO.
Responding to a question about whether the changing global water cycle might have contributed to the deadly Nepal-China flooding disaster, Ms. Saulo explained that melting ice and rock was just one factor in the chain of events that ultimately sent a massive and deadly wall of water and debris downstream on 26 August, killing at least 1,367 people.
“You asked if it could happen again? Absolutely; the problem in this region is that there’s 63,700 glaciers at the last count,” she told a Press Conference in Geneva. “Even if you’re looking with remote sensing with satellites at these glaciers, you might see some faults, you might see some slight shifting, that does not mean necessarily catastrophic collapse. So, in order to plan for this, it’s very, very difficult. But the international community is looking very hard at ways in which we can bring people together to solve some of these monitoring issues.”
Data indicates that glaciers shrank between 2023 and 2025 with cumulative losses of 1,400 gigatonnes of water – or about one third of annual fresh water needs.
Every major glacier region on Earth lost ice for the fourth consecutive year.
“All 19 glacier regions around the globe lost ice; in Central Asia, Iceland, the Russian Arctic and western Canada and the United States, it was among the three worst years on record,” said Wayne Jenkinson, WMO’s Director of Hydrology and Cryosphere.
Some regions with smaller glaciers such as Central Europe, the Caucasus, the western Canada and the United States may already have reached “peak water”, Mr. Jenkinson warned.
“After this point, the glacier gives less meltwater each year simply because there is less ice left to melt. That matters for every community downstream that relies on water during hot, dry summers,” he explained.
Narelle van der Wel, WMO’s Head of Cryosphere Monitoring, Predictions and Services, stressed that while some further glacier loss is unavoidable, the eventual scale of the decline is not predetermined.
“Some glacier loss is inevitable, but total loss of glaciers is not yet inevitable,” she said, pointing to emissions reductions as central to limiting future losses.
Preparing for moving baselines
The report does not attribute every observed change to climate change alone. WMO says pressure on water resources and natural variability also contribute.
Mr. Jenkinson said governments need to prepare for “moving baselines” as historical patterns become less reliable.
“The situation 30 years ago is not where we are today,” he said. Countries, he added, need to prepare “for those changes that have really already arrived”.
ends