SRFOE condemns repression in Venezuela and calls on international community to reject violations of freedom of expression

December 26, 2024

Washington D.C. - In the post-electoral context, the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (SRFOE) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the repression against the press and the persecution of those exercising their right to freedom of expression in Venezuela. The SRFOE urges the Venezuelan State to immediately cease practices that violate human rights and to release those arbitrarily detained. It also reiterates its urgent call to the international community to condemn institutional violence, promote the protection of the press and strengthen the monitoring of the situation in the country.

Five months after the 2024 presidential election, conditions for the exercise of freedom of expression in Venezuela continue to deteriorate, in a context marked by arbitrary arrests, restrictions on access to public information and acts of persecution, intimidation, threats and censorship. According to official statements, since July 28, 2024, more than 2,400 people have been detained in both mass and selective operations, many of which are linked to post-election social protests or raids under alleged judicial orders. At least 21 of these arrests correspond to journalists and media workers, accused without foundation of crimes such as terrorism, incitement to hatred, disturbance of public order, illicit association and obstruction of public roads.

According to the Office's monitoring, in recent weeks some people, including journalists, have been released from prison, although the criminal proceedings against them are still ongoing. Currently, at least six journalists and press workers are reportedly still in prison.

The testimonies gathered by the Office of the Special Rapporteur reveal a pattern of serious violations of due process and judicial guarantees, including the incommunicado detention of detainees with their families and lawyers, the prohibition of visits, the denial of technical defense, the lack of adequate notification of the charges and their connection to the crimes charged, as well as restrictions on access to files and crucial information in judicial proceedings.

In addition to the arrests, reports received by the Office indicate that the social, political and human rights crisis in the country has seriously impacted the practice of journalism. Since its last press release in August 2024, the SRFOE has continuously documented cases of harassment, harassment, threats and other aggressions against the press, including raids, media closures, digital blockades of news websites, confiscation of equipment, cancellation of passports, arbitrary dismissals, extortion, threats of arrest and the disclosure of personal information through social networks and instant messaging applications. In addition, stigmatizing statements by public officials against journalists, coupled with smear campaigns to discredit their work, have exacerbated violence against the press and a climate of fear and self-censorship, which has forced many journalists to modify their routines, suspend coverage of election-related matters of public interest, move, go into exile or, in some cases, abandon their profession for good.

Censorship strategies are not limited to the press, but have also been extended to the general population, especially those who support the protests or the opposition, through “Operation Tun Tun”, which involves mass surveillance, raids, searches and arbitrary arrests. In this context, the authorities have also disseminated videos portraying critics as criminals, forcing them to issue messages of repentance. The repression has generated a climate of generalized fear, severely restricting freedom of expression and access to information, particularly at a crucial moment for the country's political situation, when citizens should be able to speak freely on issues of great public interest.

To these facts must be added the recent enactment of the “Law for the Control, Regularization, Performance and Financing of NGOs” and the “Simón Bolívar Liberator Organic Law against the Imperialist Blockade and in Defense of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”. In addition, the progress of the draft “Law against Fascism, Neo-Fascism and Similar Expressions” has been documented. According to civil society organizations, the approval of these laws facilitates the arbitrary persecution against freedom of expression and the rights of assembly and association.

The SRFOE reiterates that the attacks aimed at silencing or dissuading citizen participation in matters of public interest, as well as journalists and the media, constitute a clear violation of human rights and the fundamental principles of the rule of law. In view of these facts, the Office of the Special Rapporteur expresses its energetic rejection and reiterates its appeal:

The State of Venezuela to:

1. Restore democratic order and the rule of law, guaranteeing the independence of the public authorities and access to electoral information, including the full publication of the voting records and an independent scrutiny;
2. Immediately release all persons detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, political participation, association and peaceful assembly, including journalists and media workers who remain deprived of their liberty;
3. Without prejudice to the foregoing, provide updated information on the status of detained persons and guarantee immediate and unrestricted access by international and human rights bodies to detained persons and their families;
4. Immediately cease all practices that unduly restrict, directly or indirectly, the exercise of freedom of expression in Venezuela.

To the States of the hemisphere and the international community to:

1. Strongly condemn the institutional violence in Venezuela and the systematic violations of human rights, especially freedom of expression, recognizing its relevance for the guarantee of other fundamental rights and for the reestablishment of democracy;
2. Demand that the Venezuelan government immediately release arbitrarily detained persons and guarantee unrestricted access by international and human rights organizations to detainees and their families;
3. Activate in an urgent and coordinated manner bilateral and multilateral diplomatic channels, as well as mechanisms for dialogue and follow-up, aimed at protecting the exercise of journalism and freedom of expression in Venezuela;
4. Demand the implementation of independent accountability mechanisms that guarantee impartial and transparent investigations into human rights violations, punishment of those responsible and measures of reparation and non-repetition;
5. Maintain continuous observation and constant monitoring until the presidential inauguration in January 2025 and beyond.

No. R328/24

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