Urgent Action: VENEZUELAN DEFENDERS UNDER ARREST (Venezuela: UA 75.21)

July 5, 2021

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 (West). The three human rights defenders’ whereabouts remained unknown for 24 hours. Authorities presented them before a judge who denied legal representation of their choice assigning public defenders. They charged them with terrorism, among other charges. We urge authorities to release them immediately and close all criminal investigations against them.

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TAKE ACTION:

  1. Please take action as-soon-as possible. This Urgent Action expires on August 30, 2021.
  2. 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.
  3. Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 75.21. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

CONTACT INFORMATION

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 by the detention of three brave human rights defenders in Venezuela, Javier Tarazona, Rafael Tarazona and Omar de Dios García from the organization FundaREDES. Their arbitrary detention and the ensuing criminal investigations against them must be stopped immediately.

Not only did their detention not comply with legal protections, but their rights to due process were subsequently violated by denying them access to trusted legal representation, making phone calls, notifying their relatives of their whereabouts, and assigning them public defenders they did not choose or trust.

We urge you to release Javier Tarazona, Rafael Tarazona, and Omar de Dios García immediately, close all criminal investigations into all four human rights defenders, and put an end to the harassment and criminalization of civil society in Venezuela.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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