At least five people, including three teenagers and a woman, were shot dead during demonstrations in Venezuela on April 30 and May 1, Ravina Shamdasani, the spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said on Friday
GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd May, 2019) At least five people, including three teenagers and a woman, were shot dead during demonstrations in Venezuela on April 30 and May 1, Ravina Shamdasani, the spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said on Friday."In two days of demonstrations -30 April and 1 May- we have documented reports of five demonstrators killed by firearms: a 15-year-old boy from the state of Merida; a 16-year-old boy and a 24 year-old man allegedly killed on 30 April by pro-government armed individuals in the state of Aragua; and a 15 year-old boy killed by a firearm and a 27 year-old women shot in the head close to the Altamira square while participating in the 1 May demonstrations," Shamdasani said at a briefing.
According to Shamdasani, the new data brings the number of those killed in protest rallies in Venezuela since the start of the year to 49.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also has information about 239 demonstrators injured in the latest rallies.
"At least 18 of them were reportedly injured by firearms. Many others were wounded by the use of buckshot and pellets at point-blank range. The Government reported that at least eight members of the security forces were injured by firearms," she specified.
In addition, at least 240 people, including 17 minors, were detained as a result of this week's rallies across Venezuela.
The situation in Venezuela remains tense after on Tuesday, the Venezuelan opposition, led by US-backed self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido, initiated a fresh coup attempt in a bid to oust legitimate President Nicolas Maduro. The government, however, subsequently said that the coup attempt had failed.
Local non-governmental organization Foro Penal said on Thursday that more than 300 people were injured during violent rallies in Venezuela on April 30 and May 1. The Venezuelan authorities have not commented on the figures.
