Provea Bulletin from February 2014 on Human Rights Situation in Venezuela

Urgent action on situation of human rights in Venezuela

Member organizations of Foro por la Vida, together with other Venezuelan organizations, in light of serious violations of human rights in Venezuela.

We, the undersigned organizations, given the worsening of the Venezuelan situation resulting from violence, misinformation, arbitrary detentions and other major violations of human rights that have occurred in the month of February 2014 make a call for urgent action in support of the observance of human rights, justice and peace in Venezuela.

The events taking place in Venezuela showcase the deterioration of public institutions to effectively arbitrate the diversity of political positions that exist in the country. In light of this situation it is important that various sectors of the national and international community take a stand to challenge human rights violations, calling for an independent investigation, requesting the cessation of repression and the opening of genuine dialogue.

Criminalization of protests

Students and other social sectors of Venezuelan society have convened and conducted peaceful demonstrations throughout the month of February. Systematically, high-ranking public officials have disqualified these mobilizations and demonized sectors participating in them.

Disqualifying speeches are frequently featured in the National System of Public Media or through mandatory radio and television broadcasts. Acts of vandalism and street closures that have involved a minority of protesters —rejected by the organizers and broad sectors of Venezuelan society— are overexposed in such broadcasts. Thus, because some participants incur in violent acts, all participants and organizers of peaceful demonstrations have been disqualified as violent, as a justification for the authorities to widespread repressive responses.