Javier Tarazona, Director of local NGO FundaREDES, Rafael Tarazona and Omar de Dios García, FundaREDES’ activists, were arbitrarily detained on July 2, 2021 after attempting to report harassment from security officers at the Attorney General’s Office in the city of Coro (Western Venezuela), and charged with inciting hatred, treason, and terrorism. Despite numerous requests, their trusted legal representatives have been denied accreditation before the court. The three are still awaiting a pre-trial hearing to take place. We urge authorities to release them immediately and unconditionally since their detention is politically motivated.
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- Please take action as-soon-as possible. This Urgent Action expires on December 3, 2021.
- Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
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President Nicolás Maduro
Palacio de Miraflores
Av. Norte 10, Caracas 1012,
Distrito Capital
Venezuela.
Tel: +58 212-8063111
Twitter: @NicolasMaduro
H.E. Joaquin A. Perez Ayestaran
Permanent Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations
335 East 46th Street New York, N.Y. 10017
Phone: 212 557 2055 / Fax: 212 557 3528
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @ONUVENuevaYork , @japerezve
Salutation: Dear Ambassador
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Nicolás Maduro,
I am deeply alarmed that human rights defenders, Javier Tarazona, Rafael Tarazona and Omar de Dios García from the organization FundaREDES have not been released after having spent over three months arbitrarily detained. Their arbitrary detention and the ensuing criminal investigations against them must be stopped immediately.
FundaREDES monitor, document and report on human rights abuses committed by armed groups in Venezuela’s border regions. The charges they face appear to be politically motivated since SEBIN officers arrested them without an arrest warrant, and the court charged them with terrorism, which are elements of a well-documented pattern of arbitrary detentions. In addition, they have been denied access to trusted legal representation, and the delays to their pre-trial hearing violates their right to due process.
We urge you to release Javier Tarazona, Rafael Tarazona and Omar de Dios García immediately and unconditionally, close all criminal investigations into these human rights defenders, and put an end to the harassment and criminalization of non-governmental organizations in Venezuela.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
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