A/HRC/RES/45/20 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 13 October 2020 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-fifth session 14 September–7 October 2020 Agenda item 4 Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 6 October 2020 45/20. Situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela The Human Rights Council, Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and other relevant international human rights instruments, Reaffirming the primary responsibility of States to promote, protect, respect and fulfil the human rights and fundamental freedoms of their citizens and to fulfil their obligations under the human rights treaties and agreements to which they are parties, Recalling its resolutions 39/1 of 27 September 2018, 42/4 of 26 September 2019 and 42/25 of 27 September 2019 on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Expressing grave concern at the alarming situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which includes patterns of violations directly and indirectly affecting all human rights – civil, political, economic, social and cultural – in the context of the ongoing political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis, as stated in the reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the international independent factfinding mission and other reports of international organizations, Expressing concern that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is aggravating the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and urging the authorities to follow the international human rights recommendations to address the pandemic and to increase access to information about the development of the COVID-19 pandemic and humanitarian needs in general to both the Venezuelan population and the international community, Expressing alarm at the erosion of the rule of law, the lack of independence of the judicial system and the impact on access to justice for victims of violations of human rights and for ensuring oversight of the electoral process in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Expressing concern that the ongoing crisis continues to have a disproportionate impact on the rights of women and children, indigenous peoples, older persons and other groups in vulnerable situations, and that such effects have been further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and by the measures taken by the authorities to tackle it, GE.20-13337(E) 