On May 18, 2026, 16-year-old Samantha Hernández was conditionally released. Her sister, Aranza Hernández, who was 19 years old at the time of her arrest on November 20, 2025, remains arbitrarily detained. Approximately 500-600 people continue to be arbitrarily detained for political reasons, including Emirlendris Benítez and Juan Carlos Marrufo, who are in urgent need of medical assistance. The fate and whereabouts of some presumed detainees remain unknown, like Jorgen Guanares.
Update: Good news! Aranza Hernández was released on June 12, 2026. Please continue to take action on this UA for all others arbitrarily detained in Venezuela.
Call on the Venezuelan Attorney General to ensure the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained and, while in custody, to disclose their fate and whereabouts and guarantee adequate medical care.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: July 17, 2026
Here is how you can take action:
- Send a letter to the Larry Devoe, Attorney General of Venezuela
- Send a letter to the Permanent Mission of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations
Scroll down to Step 1 and Step 2 to access the full Urgent Action appeal, sample letter, and U.S.P.S. mailing address (if available).
Mr. Attorney General,
I am writing to condemn the Venezuelan authorities’ continued refusal to release all those arbitrarily detained in Venezuela.
It is deeply unsettling that high-ranking government authorities tacitly acknowledge that hundreds are being held unlawfully, yet fail to take decisive action, despite having the power to do so.
Arbitrary detention is a serious human rights violation and is often compounded by other prohibited acts. This is the case, for instance, of Jorgen Guanares, whose fate and whereabouts have been unknown since August 2024, and of Emirlendris Benítez and Juan Carlos Marrufo, who are currently denied adequate medical care despite urgent needs.
Families, communities, and civil society organizations are being forced to deal with the uncertainty of not knowing what could happen to those detained, including the potential for death in custody, like in the shocking and widely condemned case of Victor Hugo Quero Navas.
I call on you to ensure the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained. While in state custody, every detainee must have their life protected, their fate and whereabouts known, as well as all fair trial guarantees, including the right to counsel of choice, adequate medical care, and family visits.
Yours sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
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