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.
Environmental 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.
On 10 May 2023, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) held a panel aiming to discuss ways to realise States’ obligations regarding the production of ESCR data and its use in policy-making, as well as how the Commission could work with States in realising them.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission) examined the combined 12th to 15th periodic reports of the Republic of Senegal during its public session held from 3 to 13 May 2023 in Banjul, The Gambia. The report presents the progress made by Senegal to effectively implement the African Charter between 2015 and 2022.
On 9 May, ISHR delivered a statement on the situation of the village Similimi in Côte d’Ivoire affected by the operations of a manganese extracting company. This statement also highlighted the lack of an African legal instrument protecting the environment, human rights and environmental defenders.
