Photos: Left: Alexandra Lamar ©Alexandra Lamar. Right: Olnar Ortiz Bolívar ©Ricardo Arispe
Olnar Ortiz Bolívar and Alexandra Lezama, human rights defenders from Venezuela, are attending the Human Rights Council 52nd session, where the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela will present an oral update on the human rights situation in the country.
In September 2022, the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) supported a local Venezuelan coalition in a successful campaign to renew the crucial mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela (FFM) for another two years.
The FFM, mandated to assess alleged human rights violations committed since 2014 in Venezuela, is presenting an oral update to the Council followed by an Interactive Dialogue with States and civil society organisations.
On this occasion, Venezuelan human rights defenders Olnar Ortiz Bolívar, member of the Baré indigenous community and Alexandra Lamar from the State of Bolívar have come to Geneva to carry messages from their community.
Download as PDFEnvironmental damage is already reaching truly catastrophic heights in the Amazon, with large areas of land devastated and rivers contaminated by mercury and other chemicals that are harmful to the biosphere and to human beings.Olnar Ortiz Bolívar
The Venezuelan government must ensure the rights of the people are respected through the practical implementation of human rights recommendations, particularly on sustainable development.Alexandra Lezama
ISHR is supporting the defenders in their advocacy tour at the United Nations, organising meetings with key State representatives and experts so they can further highlight grave violations of human rights and the alarming environmental crisis in Venezuela.
Find out more about Olnar and Alexandra, their work and mission.
Watch ISHR statement on the situation of indigenous peoples in Venezuela and the impact of the NGO bill on defenders, at the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council delivered by Alexandra:
Alexandra Lemaza, indigenous Pemon defender from Venezuela delivers an ISHR statement on human rights violations and abuses committed against indigenous peoples in the Arco Minero and the Amazon. This statement was delivered during the Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, at the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council. The High Commissioner had visited Venezuela two months before.
In the face of multiple human rights crisis in the region, as well as significant political changes, defenders spoke at the Human Rights Council’s 55th session about the realities they have faced, calling for greater action and new mechanisms, and noting that political expediency shouldn't trump the objective assessment of the need for Council action on country situations.
Before the Human Rights Council, Guatemalan Indigenous defenders spoke of the 'historic opportunity' that Guatemala is experiencing but also of the deep systemic problems that must be urgently addressed.
The Indigenous Kali'na community of the village of Prospérité has filed a request to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to activate an early warning procedure that would urge French authorities to halt construction of a power plant on land that is essential to their way of life.
