HRC59: ISHR calls for the release of all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained in Venezuela

Watch a recording of the statement and find a full transcript below:

Eduardo Torres, Naomi Arnaudez, Rocío San Miguel, Javier Tarazona, Kennedy Tejeda, Carlos Julio Rojas and over 70 have all been arbitrarily detained by the Venezuelan authorities since 2024, many of them subjected to enforced disappearances. Their stories reflect a systematic pattern of persecution and criminalisation of those who independently monitor, document, and report on the critical human rights situation in Venezuela. 

These cases take place in the context of an intensification of harassment and persecution by the Venezuelan State towards human rights defenders as an attempt by the government to silence the work of civil society in the aftermath of the elections of July 2024. Anyone perceived as an opponent or holding an alternative narrative to the official one faces public persecution.

Currently, almost half of Venezuelan organisations (49.6%) report difficulties in working freely. Their activities are severely constrained due to the implementation of restrictive laws and stigmatising rhetoric from high-level authorities against NGOs that foster a pervasive fear of detention and public ostracism. Without a significant shift and reversal in State policies, the complete closure of civic space is imminent, threatening the existence of half or more of the civil society sector.

These steps go against a vast range of recommendations from all UN human rights bodies, pointing to the Venezuelan authorities’ unwillingness to abide by international human rights law. Notably, some of these recommendations were voluntarily accepted by Venezuela two years ago during the Universal Periodic Review.

We remind Venezuelan authorities that the widespread and systematic use of enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture, against the civilian population amount to crimes against humanity, as reiterated by UN Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela. 

We urge this Council to call for the immediate release of all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained and to cease the persecution against them. Defenders should be able to carry out their work freely and safely, without fear of harassment, retaliation, or imprisonment.