During the first semester of the year 2021, from the Center for Justice and Peace (Cepaz) we have registered at least 434 acts of persecution and criminalization carried out by the Government of Nicolás Maduro against those who are considered enemies or dissidents.
Venezuelan civil society organizations have been continuously criminalized by the government of Nicolás Maduro. They work in a rights-restrictive environment, amid multiple legal obstacles, repression, and campaigns that discredit and stigmatize organizations and their work team. Especially those that defend human rights and act as humanitarian agents.
The organizations’ headquarters have been arbitrarily raided. Its members have been detained and threatened and have confiscated equipment, medicines and food destined for the population.
Thus, in the first half of 2021 from Cepaz we registered at least 31 attacks against civil society organizations. Specifically, 10 arbitrary detentions, a raid on the headquarters of an organization, 8 acts of threat, stigmatization or harassment, 7 acts of criminalization of international financial cooperation.
Tha majority of the acts of persecution and criminalization are multi-offensive. This means that there is a pattern identified as the main one, but there may be multiple acts of criminalization and persecution committed.
Based on the results of this monitoring, from Cepaz we demand:
1.- Put an end to criminalizations patterns, persecution, repression and control exercised against civil society organizations, press workers, health workers, people linked to politics and their families, and the population in general.
2.- To restore and guarantee the exercise of the civil, social, political and cultural rights of the population. As well as guaranteeing a safe and democratic civic space for the development of the different politicalactors.
3.- Comply with the recommendations and decisions of international human rights protection organizations. In particular, in cases related to persecution, criminalization and intolerance for political reasons in Venezuela.
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Peace for Venezuela
Peace for Venezuela is a campaign that aims to break down the information bias surrounding the Venezuelan crisis within the international community and promote a stronger and more constructive role for the United Nations.