On January 7, 2025, hooded individuals arbitrarily detained Carlos Correa, a renowned human rights defender and executive director of Venezuelan NGO Espacio Público, whose fate and whereabouts remain unknown. His detention is solely based on his human rights work, similarly to four other defenders currently arbitrarily detained for their activism in Venezuela: Javier Tarazona, Rocío San Miguel, Carlos Julio Rojas, and Kennedy Tejeda. We demand Nicolás Maduro ensures their immediate and unconditional release and, while in state custody, protects their life and safety, right to not be subjected to torture, and fair trial guarantees.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: July 8, 2025
Mr. Nicolás Maduro,
I am gravely concerned over the arbitrary detention of Carlos Correa, whose brave work defending human rights in Venezuela is known and valued across the world. The fact that his fate and whereabouts has remained unknown since he was taken by unidentified men in Caracas is appalling. We demand his fate and whereabouts be disclosed to his relatives and representatives immediately.
Carlos Correa now joins a growing list of politically motivated arbitrary detentions of human rights defenders in Venezuela, which began with Javier Tarazona’s detention in July 2021, and continued with Rocio San Miguel in February 2024, Carlos Julio Rojas in April 2024, and Kennedy Tejeda in August 2024. Many others have also been unfairly detained and later conditionally released.
The detention of human rights defenders and the attacks on civil society more broadly must cease immediately. Their role, in the midst of an ongoing humanitarian emergency and a spiraling policy of repression, should be protected and celebrated.
We call for the immediate and unconditional release of every human rights defender unfairly detained in Venezuela and, as long as they remain in your custody, for their rights to life and safety, to not be subjected to torture, and to enjoy all fair trial guarantees to be fully protected.
Yours sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
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