‘Fierce repression’ of Venezuela election protests must end, UN rights team says

United Nations human rights investigators have urged Venezuela ’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, to halt the “fierce repression” being perpetrated by his security forces after last month’s allegedly stolen presidential election.

In a statement published two weeks after the 28 July vote, the UN’s fact-finding mission to Venezuela condemned Maduro’s “escalating” crackdown, during which more than 100 children and teens have been detained. The UN investigators said they had recorded 23 deaths, the vast majority caused by gunfire and nearly all young men.

“Street protests, as well as criticism on social media, in the weeks following the election have been met with fierce repression by the state, as directed by its highest authorities, inducing a climate of widespread fear,” added the group, calling for a thorough investigation of “the spate of grave human rights violations that are currently occurring”.

Maduro, who claimed victory in the recent election despite compelling evidence that actually he lost heavily to his rival Edmundo González, looks unlikely to heed the UN’s call.

On Monday, Venezuela’s strongman leader ordered officials to treat his “fascist” opponents with an “iron fist” and vowed to severely punish those challenging his government. Maduro, who has governed in an increasingly authoritarian manner since being elected in 2013, has refused to release detailed election data supporting his supposed victory , despite calls from countries including Brazil and Colombia to do so.

The opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was the driving force behind González’s presidential campaign, has called fresh anti-Maduro protests for next Saturday in cities around the world.

Related: World must confront Maduro’s ‘campaign of terror’, Venezuelan opposition leader says

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Machado urged the world to challenge Maduro’s “campaign of terror”.

“What is going on in Venezuela is horrific. Innocent people are being detained or disappeared as we speak,” said the charismatic conservative who experts describe as the most significant political challenge Maduro’s Chavista movement has faced since it came to power 25 years ago with the election of it creator, Hugo Chávez. “[Maduro’s government has] decided that their only option to stay in power is using violence, fear and terror against the population,” she added.

The fact-finding mission – which was set up by the UN human rights council in 2019 amid growing international concern over abuses being committed by Maduro’s regime – said there were political leaders and activists, journalists and human rights defenders among the more than 1,260 people detained in recent days. “However, the vast majority of those detained were simply individuals who voiced their rejection of the presidential election results announced by the authorities,” added the group. “Many of these detentions occurred after individuals participated in protests or expressed their opinions on social media, with authorities selectively targeting them at their homes.”

The UN investigators said they had also received “particularly concerning information” about the detention of over 100 children and adolescents who, despite their young age, were being charged with extremely serious crimes such as terrorism, conspiracy and hate crimes. “These children have not been accompanied by their parents or guardians during judicial proceedings,” the statement noted.