Urgent Action: VENEZUELAN PHOTOGRAPHER ARBITRARILY DETAINED (Venezuela: UA 45.22)

May 20, 2022

Carlos Debiais, a Venezuelan photographer, was detained on November 12, 2021 and has been arbitrarily held in Caracas since April 12, 2022, when a release warrant was issued in his name. Carlos Debiais was filming in Falcón state when he was questioned by security personnel of the state-owned oil company PDVSA and later detained by officers of the Directorate General of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). His fate and whereabouts were unknown on several occasions during his detention. Prison authorities reportedly claim the release warrant cannot be executed on orders of the Minister for Penitentiary Affairs. We call for his release.

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TAKE ACTION:

  1. Please take action as-soon-as possible. This Urgent Action expires on July 14, 2022.
  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 45.22. 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

Attorney General Tarek William Saab
Avda. México, Manduca a Pelelojo,
Edif. Sede Fiscalía General de la República, La Candelaria
Caracas, Venezuela
Twitter: @TarekWiliamSaab
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 Attorney General Tarek William Saab,

I write to you regarding the arbitrary detention of Carlos Debiais, a Venezuelan photographer currently being unjustly held in Rodeo II prison despite holding a release warrant in his name since April 12, 2022.

It is deeply concerning that reports indicate that penitentiary authorities refuse to execute said release warrant on orders of the Minister for Penitentiary Affairs, despite being known that a court order cannot be ignored or blocked by the Executive branch.

Moreover, Carlos Debiais has been held in appalling conditions with no access to natural sunlight, limited and insufficient food, and monitored communications with his family and lawyers, all of which violate international human rights standards. It’s also alarming that his fate and whereabouts have been unknown on several occasions.

We call on you to ensure the immediate release of Carlos Debiais in compliance with his release warrant issued on April 12, 2022, and that his personal integrity is guaranteed while in custody of the state.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

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