IACHR grants precautionary measures in favor of Luis Roberto Somaza Castellano in Venezuela

May 9, 2025

Washington, DC – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 40/2025 on May 5, 2025, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Luis Roberto Somaza Castellano in Venezuela, in the belief that he faces a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to his rights to life, personal integrity, and health.

The party who requested these precautionary measures said that the beneficiary is a politician and a leader of the opposition in Venezuela and that he was arrested by State authorities in a raid conducted on February 12, 2025. Since he was arrested, no information has allegedly been provided about his conditions of detention in facilities operated by the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) nor about his current health condition. Further, the beneficiary allegedly has no contact with his family, and he has no access to the medical care he requires to treat various health issues. The State failed to provide information to the IACHR on this issue.

After assessing the legal and factual allegations, the IACHR considers that the beneficiary is at risk, and that the risks he faces might become increasingly harmful for his rights. This is particularly the case considering that his current conditions of detention are unknown and that the State has not provided any information about the measures that might have been taken to mitigate the risks he faces. Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of Venezuela to take the following action:

1. Adopt any measures necessary to protect Somaza Castellano's rights to life, personal integrity, and health
2. Take all measures necessary to ensure that the beneficiary's conditions of detention reflect the applicable international standards, including the following:
   1. Immediately conducting a comprehensive medical examination of his current health condition and ensuring that he has access to the medical care and/or treatment he needs
   2. Ensuring regular contact with the beneficiary's family and trusted legal counsel, granting these professionals access to Somaza Castellano's criminal case file
   3. Informing the beneficiary's representatives of the reasons why he is still deprived of liberty and of any court decisions concerning him
3. Come to an agreement with the beneficiary and his representatives concerning any measures that need to be taken
4. Report on any actions adopted to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent such events from happening again in the future

The fact that these precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State of Venezuela do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the applicable instruments.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 097/25

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