Sec. 204. Accountability for crimes against humanity
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Congress makes the following findings: On July 25, 2017, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States stated the systematic attack against the civilian population [of Venezuela] includes murders, imprisonment and torture, and it is evident in the eyes of the international community that we are in the presence of crimes against humanity. . On September 11, 2017, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that Venezuelan security forces may have committed crimes against humanity against protesters and called for a credible international investigation.
A November 29, 2017, report by Human Rights Watch documented that Venezuelan security forces had used extreme and, at times, lethal forces against protesters and, once detained, subjected them to abuses ranging from severe beatings to torture involving electric shocks, asphyxiation, and other techniques. On February 8, 2018, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court opened a preliminary examination of the situation in Venezuela as it relates to Venezuelan security forces using excessive force against civilians and the political opposition.
On May 29, 2018, a panel of independent international experts convened by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States found that there are reasonable grounds that satisfy the standard of proof required by Article 53 of the Rome Statute for considering that acts to which the civilian population of Venezuela was subjected […] constitute crimes against humanity . It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should conduct robust diplomatic engagement in support of efforts in Venezuela, and on the part of the international community, to ensure accountability for possible crimes against humanity and other violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to Congress that— evaluates the degree to which the Government of Venezuela and its officials, including members of the Venezuelan security force, have engaged in actions that constitute crimes against humanity and violations of international humanitarian law; and provides options for holding accountable the perpetrators identified under paragraph (1).