Standing in solidarity with Venezuelan human rights defenders

The recent, ongoing and unwarranted detention of five users of the Venezuelan NGO ‘Azul Positivo’ is just one extra party in a series of threats, harassment, attacks, limitations, reprisals and legal proceedings against Venezuelan civil society companies and human legal rights defenders, which has been intensifying because November 2020. In new months and weeks, condition brokers have forcibly entered the offices of civil modern society organizations general public threats have been designed from defenders who have been partaking with human rights mechanisms, NGO lender accounts have been frozen and arrest warrants issued for assist employees.

Venezuelan civil society work in a context of major legal and administrative road blocks with domestic rules utilised to focus on human rights defenders, such as the ‘Law Against Hate’, or possessing the effect of restricting the operations of NGOs and restricting their entry to funding, effectively blocking the function of several corporations essential for Venezuelans in require.

In a general public statement, a quantity of UN unbiased human rights gurus and regional specialists have described threats and measures taken in opposition to Venezuelan civil society considering that November 2020 as amounting to ‘systematic persecution and stigmatization.’

It is critical that humanitarian and human legal rights businesses responding to the grave humanitarian and human rights crises in the place, pushing for accountability for violations and abuses and the return of ensures supplied by democratic institutions and processes are in a position to do their get the job done devoid of worry or hindrance. 

Human rights defenders are crucial, constructive and vital to democracies and the performing of the rule of regulation. Makes an attempt to silence and cow them are counterproductive and shameful. 

We urge the Venezuelan authorities to be certain that harassment and threats versus Venezuelan defenders stop and for all global lawful assures to be respected.  We phone on all states and UN bodies and companies to actively help civil modern society organizations, defenders and activists and to discuss up loudly and regularly for the right to protect human rights in Venezuela and globally.

We are impressed by the each day dedication and bravery of Venezuelan human rights defenders and humanitarian staff and stand in solidary with our Venezuelan associates and pals.