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Bolivia grants impunity to military for using force during protests - commission

According to the commission, the decree violates international human rights standards and stimulates use of force to suppress mass protests

BUENOS AIRES, November 17. /TASS/. Bolivia’s interim government has issued a decree that grants impunity to the Bolivian military for using force during protests, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) informed on Saturday on Twitter.

"The IACHR warns of Presidential Decree №4078 on the actions of the Bolivian Armed Forces issued on November 15. Its goal is to grant impunity to the members of the armed forces tasked with restoring order," the message says.

According to the commission, the decree violates international human rights standards and stimulates use of force to suppress mass protests.

"The IACHR condemns any administrative measures of the Bolivian government in violation of the right to truth and justice, as well as the internationally recognized human rights, especially in the context of the actions of the armed forces during social protests," the commission added.

Situation in Bolivia

A presidential election was held in Bolivia on October 20. The country's Supreme Electoral Court declared that incumbent President Evo Morales had won the vote. His main rival, former President Carlos Mesa, said that he did not recognize Morales' victory. After the results of the election had been announced, protests and strikes erupted across the South American country. Morales declared a state of emergency and accused the opposition of attempting to stage a coup.

On November 10, Morales announced his resignation, branding the recent developments as a coup d’·tat. He stepped down following the demands of the country’s armed forces, opposition and trade unions. On November 12, Morales arrived in Mexico, accepting an offer of political asylum. Meanwhile, the second vice president of Bolivia’s Senate, Jeanine Anez, declared herself interim president. The country’s Constitutional Court confirmed the legality of the transfer of power.

The protests in the country continued after Morales’ resignation. Earlier, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Michelle Bachelet called on the Bolivian police and military to adhere to the norms of international norms and guarantee the safety of Bolivian citizens. "While the earlier deaths were mostly the result of violent confrontations between rival protesters, the most recent ones appear to be the result of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force by the police and army," she said.

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