UN urges independent probe into death of ex-Venezuelan minister

Venezuela’s government says Raul Baduel, who served as defence minister under Hugo Chavez, died due to the coronavirus.

The United Nations human rights office urged Venezuela to conduct an “independent investigation” into the death of jailed former minister Raul Baduel, a prominent dissident who was considered a political prisoner by the country’s opposition.

“We are deeply saddened by Raul Baduel’s death in detention,” the office, headed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, said on Twitter on Wednesday.

“We call on #Venezuela to ensure an independent investigation, take all necessary measures to guarantee access to healthcare to detainees, consider alternative measures of detention & release all arbitrarily detained.”