Venezuela: Stop the persecution of human rights NGO

Since November 2024, attacks on PROVEA, a leading human rights organization in Venezuela, have escalated. A senior government official recently targeted the group with threats during a televised broadcast. Now, the Forensic Criminal Investigations Police (CICPC) has summoned PROVEA’s General Coordinator, Oscar Murillo, to testify in a case tied to the controversial “anti-hatred law. This is part of a troubling pattern of intimidation aimed at silencing voices advocating for justice and accountability in Venezuela. We urge the Venezuelan authorities to stop these reprisals and protect the vital work of PROVEA and other NGOs fighting for human rights.

Here’s what you can do:

Write to the Venezuelan President urging him to:

• Immediately halt any actions aimed at intimidating or targeting PROVEA. 
• Protect the ability of human rights defenders to carry out their vital work in line with international human rights laws and standards.

PROVEA’s fight against human rights violations

PROVEA has tirelessly exposed and condemned the severe human rights violations and potential crimes against humanity committed by Nicolás Maduro’s government. Recently, they denounced the death of opposition politician Edwin Santos, who was found dead on October 25, 2024, after being detained by masked individuals.

While the Forensic Criminal Investigations Police (CICPC) claimed his death resulted from a traffic accident, civil society organizations raised concerns of a possible extrajudicial execution, noting his detention and disappearance were reported by his family.

This incident adds to PROVEA’s long history of uncovering human rights abuses, fueling fears of imminent retaliation against its General Coordinator, Óscar Murillo, amid a surge in arbitrary detentions of political dissidents and human rights defenders. 

Repression of human rights defenders

Amnesty International continues to highlight the ongoing harassment, attacks, and arbitrary detention of human rights defenders in Venezuela. Activists like Javier Tarazona, director of Fundaredes, have been detained since 2021 for their advocacy. Others, including Rocío San Miguel, Carlos Julio Rojas, Edward Ocariz, Henry Gómez, and Kennedy Tejeda, face criminal proceedings for their human rights work.

Nicolás Maduro’s government consistently targets activists and NGOs amidst a deepening human rights crisis and a complex humanitarian emergency that has forced over 7.8 million Venezuelans to flee the country as of November 2024. 

Systemic repression and international accountability

Maduro’s government has introduced new measures, such as the so-called “anti-NGO law,” to further control and silence civil society organizations. This law requires NGOs to disclose extensive information, including member lists, assets, and donor details, with non-compliance potentially leading to closures or criminal prosecution.

Meanwhile, independent reports from international fact-finding missions have documented hundreds of cases of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and torture since 2014. These violations, facilitated by a justice system serving as a tool of repression, may amount to crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been investigating crimes against humanity in Venezuela since November 2021, focusing on cases of politically motivated persecution, torture, and sexual violence committed by state forces and pro-government groups since at least April 2017.

Please take action as soon as possible until January 30, 2025! The UA will be duly updated should there be the need for further action.