IACHR grants precautionary measures in favor of Henry Alberto Castillo Molero in Venezuela

 July 29, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 51/2025 on July 28, 2025, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Henry Alberto Castillo Molero in Venezuela, in the belief that he faces a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to his rights.

The party who requested these precautionary measures noted that Henry Alberto Castillo Molero is a businessperson and an agricultural producer. He was allegedly arrested in Caracas on January 24, 2025, by officers of the General Department of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). DGCIM officers proceeded to arrest Castillo because they did not find his nephew Christian Hernández, whose pregnant wife had also been arrested. Family members were reportedly warned that, if they wanted to ever see Castillo alive again, Hernández should turn himself in to the authorities.

The Venezuelan minister of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Peace confirmed that the beneficiary was in State custody. Despite various search efforts, the beneficiary's family has so far not received official information about his whereabouts. The request for these precautionary measures noted that the beneficiary's public defender refused to file a writ of habeas corpus and that the family had had no access to the case file despite having filed complaints alleging forced disappearance and unlawful detention before the public prosecutor's office in Caracas and other authorities. The State of Venezuela failed to provide information to the IACHR on this issue.

To make its decision, the IACHR took into consideration the fact that, six months after his arrest and despite various search efforts made by his family, Venezuelan authorities have failed to provide official information about the beneficiary's whereabouts. The IACHR also took into consideration allegations that officers of the State arrested Castillo to get his nephew to turn himself in. The IACHR noted that the State's refusal to officially comment on the beneficiary's whereabouts and legal status persists despite his family's inquiries.

After assessing the legal and factual allegations put forward by the party who requested these precautionary measures, the IACHR considers that the beneficiary faces serious, urgent risks, since his whereabouts remain unknown. Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of Venezuela to take the following action:

(a) Adopt any measures necessary to protect the beneficiary's rights to life and personal integrity, particularly the following:

(i) Report on whether the beneficiary is in State custody (and, if so, provide the reasons for and other details of his arrest) and on any measures taken to establish his fate or whereabouts

(ii) Should the beneficiary be in State custody, say whether he has been charged with any crimes and whether he has been taken before a court of competent jurisdiction so his arrest might be reviewed (or state why he has not been taken before court)

(iii) State what court, if any, is handling the criminal case against the beneficiary or provide the reasons why the beneficiary has so far not been released

(iv) Enable communications between the beneficiary and his family and trusted legal counsel and grant his legal counsel full access to the relevant criminal case file, should such a file exist

(v) Immediately conduct a medical examination of the beneficiary's current health condition

(b) 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 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. 150/25

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