A/HRC/44/20 300,000 rifles to them. On 30 January 2020, the National Constituent Assembly adopted a law incorporating the Bolivarian Militia into the National Bolivarian Armed Forces. 30. The “state of alarm” decree issued on 13 March 2020 in response to COVID-19 was not approved by the National Assembly as required by the Constitution. At the time of writing of the present report, the Government had extended the “state of alarm” on three occasions, for a total of 120 days, exceeding the 60-day limit established by the Constitution.25 31. OHCHR observed a discretionary implementation of the “state of alarm” by the military, law enforcement and local authorities. It also observed the involvement of armed colectivos in the enforcement of confinement measures in poor neighbourhoods, and documented undue restrictions on access to information and freedom of expression, which resulted in the detention of demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders and political leaders by security forces. IV. Outcomes of the investigation into allegations of violations of the rights to life, liberty and integrity of the person A. Right to life 32. OHCHR acknowledges past efforts by the State to develop security policies consistent with international law, which culminated in the creation of a National Commission for Police Reform in 2006. Main outcomes of the National Commission for Police Reform were the reorganization of civilian police forces with a civilian character, the elaboration of protocols on the use of force in line with international standards, the vetting of police forces responsible for abuses and the creation of oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability. 33. The Government reported that since 2013, it has been implementing a security strategy known as cuadrantes de la paz, based on a preventive approach of community policing. In 2018, the Government launched an initiative entitled Gran Misión Cuadrantes de Paz, which according to the Government led to a reduction of the homicide rate. 26 34. According to statistics provided by the Government, 6,710 homicides were registered in 2019. An additional 1,363 homicides were recorded from January to May 2020. The Government reported that 41 members of security forces had died in the context of security operations in 2019. These data do not include killings in the context of security operations, qualified as “resistance to the authority”. 35. Based on an OHCHR analysis of open sources, from 1 January to 31 May 2020, a total of 1,324 individuals, including 9 women, were reportedly killed in the context of security operations. The Special Action Forces were allegedly responsible for 432 deaths; the Bureau for Scientific, Criminal and Forensic Investigations for 366 deaths; the Bolivarian National Guard for 136 deaths; and the State police forces of Zulia for 124 deaths. The highest numbers of cases were recorded in Zulia (323), Aragua (148), Bolívar (140) and Lara (121). Five members of security forces were reportedly killed and 16 were injured in the context of these security operations. 36. OHCHR documented 38 cases of young men allegedly killed by security forces between May 2019 and May 2020, in the States of Anzoátegui, Aragua, Bolívar, Guárico, Lara, Miranda, Sucre, Táchira and Zulia. In 23 cases, the Special Action Forces were 25 26 Article 338 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; and article 8 of the Organic Law on States of Exception, contained in Official Gazette, No. 37,621 (15 August 2001). According to the response provided by the Government to the OHCHR questionnaire, from 2016 to 2019, murder rates decreased from 56 per 100,000 inhabitants to 21 per 100,000 inhabitants. According to the non-governmental organization Observatorio Venezolano de Violencia, during the same period the murder rates decreased from 91 per 100,000 inhabitants to 60 per 100,000 inhabitants (see https://observatoriodeviolencia.org.ve/informes/informe-anual-de-violencia/ (in Spanish)). 7