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The United Nations Office for Human Rights denounced this Thursday the “constant and growing attacks” suffered by civil society organizations, human rights defenders and journalists in Venezuela, a cause of “deep concern” for the organization.
According to the spokeswoman for the UN Office, Marta Hurtado, the last incident of these characteristics took place on January 12 in the state of Zulia. As he explained, officers from the military Counterintelligence and the regional police raided the NGO Azul Positivo.
As a result, “documents” were seized and six NGO employees were arrested. So far, five of them remain in detention and have not been able to see their lawyers or their families.
Raids
“This is the second time in the last two months that the office of a humanitarian NGO has been raided and its personnel have been questioned, supposedly due to funding received from abroad,” Hurtado explained, clarifying that states should not impose “undue” restrictions on the ability of NGOs to access funding from domestic, foreign or international sources.
“It is even more disconcerting that these incursions are accompanied by statements by public officials calling for the criminalization of civil society organizations and their personnel,” he added.
On the other hand, at least three media outlets were also targeted on January 8, when, allegedly, public officials confiscated their equipment, sealed off their offices, or intimidated their staff.
Hurtado has detailed that these incidents follow similar cases of journalists harassed or intimidated, while public officials have issued a series of statements “delegitimizing” the media. “There are increasingly worrying reports that journalists are censoring themselves out of fear,” he lamented.
Thus, the UN Office has urged the Venezuelan authorities to “stop harassing people for doing legitimate work, whether in the humanitarian sector, Human Rights or in the media.” “A free, diverse and active civil society is crucial for any democracy and must be protected, not stigmatized or persecuted,” he added.
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