As the United Nations Human Rights Council met in Geneva in its annual September session, Webster Geneva Campus hosted a presentation and panel discussion about the UN report by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the recent documented abuses of Human Rights in Venezuela. The event, hosted by Webster Geneva Campus Director Clementina Acedo (a Venezuelan national) and Webster’s International Relations department, was co-sponsored by Initiativa por Venezuela and Venezuela Urgente. These NGOs are committed to exposing the current situation in Venezuela and to reversing the trend of human rights regression in the country.
Guests from “Genève Internationale” and Webster University students heard documented stories of the oppression, abuse and violations, shared by Hernan Vales, Human Rights Officer in the Rule of Law Section of the OHCHR, who personally led the investigation team and interviews for the High Commissioner’s recent report.
Mr. Vales was joined on a subsequent panel discussion which included Professor Victor Rodriguez Cedeño, former Ambassador of Venezuela to the UN and previously Deputy Chairman of the UN’s former Commission on Human Rights, and by Dr. Natalia Brandler, Director of the Group of Political Studies on Latin America (a Venezuelan academic now based in France). The panel was moderated by Prof. Giancarlo Melloni, Webster Geneva Campus, who led the question and answer session that followed their presentations. Following the panel, there was an exhibition of photographic reportage taken directly by on-the-ground photographers and journalists.
Photos by Nadia Negm