Venezuela High Court Declares Amnesty Law Unconstitutional

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Venezuela’s supreme court declared the opposition amnesty bill unconstitutional for interfering in government activities and violating human rights pacts with other countries.

"The constitutional chamber of the Supreme Court, carrying out justice in accordance with the law on behalf of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, declares the unconstitutionality of the law on amnesty and national reconciliation, approved by the National Assembly on March 29, 2016," the ruling published on the Supreme Tribunal of Justice’s website Monday read.

The court explained that the bill infringed on a number of articles of the Constitution, interfered with the activities of governmental departments, and violated human rights agreements with other countries, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has vowed earlier to veto the amnesty bill, proposing instead to establish a reconciliation commission to address the situation surrounding the victims of the early 2014 mass civil unrest and imprisoned opposition figures.

One of the 115 figures to be amnestied under the bill passed by the opposition-controlled parliament is Leopoldo Lopez, who is serving a 14-year sentence for protests in early February 2014 that led to the deaths of 43 people.

Outside observers estimate the number of political prisoners in Venezuela at 75.