The curtailing of freedoms essential for people’s participation and arrests and criminalisation of activists paints a bleak outlook for a free and fair presidential election in Venezuela, warns CIVICUS.
The global civil society alliance calls on the government to respect people’s freedoms to express, peacefully assemble, and fully participate without fear. Without immediate action, the legitimacy of the elections remains in jeopardy.
Arbitrary arrests of human rights defenders like activists Rocio San Miguel, Javier Tarazona and, most recently, journalist Carlos Julio Rojas are examples of a widespread persecution against civil society to eliminate all critical voices and dissuade any mobilisation initiatives.
On January 9, 2024, the National Assembly resumed consideration of a draconian bill which would violate the right to freedom of association putting civil society organisations (CSOs) operating in Venezuela at serious risk of criminal prosecution, reprisals and even extinction. In the last year, other new restrictive bills have been proposed that could close down CSOs working in the country, such as the law against fascism, this bill adds to a series of regulations that threaten civil society and seek to close civic space.
Attack on press freedom continues. In December 2023, journalists faced intimidation while attempting to report on the Essequibo consultative referendum. At least 12 radio stations were closed in 2023, under arbitrary processes that do not guarantee the due process guarantees. Between January and April 2024, 10 radio stations were closed. Electricity blackouts and digital media blockades continue.
The signing organisations call on the Government of Venezuela to correct course and guarantee the fundamental freedoms all Venezuelan citizens are entitled to. We ask them to:
1. Release all illegitimately imprisoned activists. Stop further harassment through persecution and arbitrarily detention of human rights defenders, activists, journalists, and political dissidents.
2. Drop all restrictive bills in the National Assembly that aim to control and regulate activities and financing of CSOs. We call for the National Assembly end all efforts to attack, control, prosecute or censor civil society organisations working to protect the rights of all people in Venezuela, particularly those most in need.
3. Guarantee all rights of the citizens to fully, freely, and fairly participate in the elections through immediate reforms.
“Without immediate and steadfast action, the election will fail to have legitimacy. Without urgent course correction, the wellbeing and the future of the nation too will be at risk,” said Isabel Rosales, CIVICUS Latin American Advocacy Officer.
Background
On July 2021, CIVICUS, Acción Ciudadana and Espacio Público submitted Venezuela’s UN Universal Periodic Review underlining the worsening conditions for civil society organisations working on the defense of human rights. It highlighted an increase in judicial persecution and financial restrictions, combined with a stigmatising discourse that seeks to justify attacks against the legitimate exercise of the freedoms of association and expression, as well as social and political participation. The submission further reports the systematic suppression of peaceful protests.
As the crackdown on civic space intensifies ahead of the presidential elections, Venezuela was added to the CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist in March 2024. Venezuela is rated as ‘closed’, the worst possible rating for a country, by the CIVICUS Monitor, an online platform that tracks threats to civil society in countries across the globe.
Signed by
- Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (CDH-UCAB)
- Centro de Justicia y Paz (Cepaz)
- Centro para los Defensores y la Justicia (CDJ)
- CIVICUS, Alianza Global de la Sociedad Civil
- Espacio Público
- Freedom House
- Laboratorio de Paz
- Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos (PROVEA)
- PROMEDEHUM
- People in Need
- Red Nacional de Activistas Ciudadanos por los DDHH (REDAC)
- Swedish International Liberal Center (SILC)