The SRFOE Alerts the International Community about Arbitrary Detention of Journalists and Criminalization of Dissent in Venezuela

August 23, 2024

The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (SRFOE) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the arbitrary detentions of journalists and the systematic persecution of media and dissenting voices in Venezuela during the post-electoral period. The SRFOE urges the international community to denounce the censorship measures and repressive practices exercised as part of a pattern that seeks to generate terror among the Venezuelan population. It also calls on the international community to demand the immediate release of those who have been arbitrarily detained by the regime.

Arbitrary Detentions

During the post-electoral period, the Special Rapporteur has documented numerous arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances of individuals exercising their legitimate right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly against the electoral results presented by the National Electoral Council. From the elections on July 28 to August 19, approximately 1,505 detentions have been recorded, including activists, human rights defenders, opposition leaders, electoral witnesses, and journalists. Among those detained, the SRFOE has documented at least 2 LGBTI+ leaders and activists and 10 journalists, 4 of whom face unfounded terrorism charges for covering protests. These detentions are often preceded by raids and harassment by security forces.

The Special Rapporteur has closely monitored the case of journalist Roland Carreño, who was detained on August 2 in Caracas by the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), with no information available about his whereabouts. SEBIN and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) deny holding him in custody; moreover, authorities have reportedly refused to accept a complaint and habeas corpus filed on his behalf. Roland Carreño is the beneficiary of a precautionary measure from the IACHR granted due to the severity of his situation and the urgent risk of irreparable harm to his rights.

According to information from civil society, detentions and criminal proceedings against journalists and activists are carried out under the "Law Against Hatred," with no judicial guarantees and severe restrictions on the right to defense. Common charges include terrorism, incitement to hatred, public instigation, illicit association, public order disruption, and obstruction of public roads. There are also reports of allegations of evidence manipulation or fabrication by the authorities. Additionally, the SRFOE has received reports about the difficulties faced by the families of detained individuals, such as challenges in locating them, excessive requirements for visits, and extortion by officials. Families of journalists accused of terrorism face additional obstacles, including difficulties traveling to the metropolitan area of Caracas, where the specialized courts are located.

Persecution and Criminalization of the Press

The SRFOE alerts the international community to the increasing repression by the Venezuelan regime against journalists and media outlets in the post-electoral context. Common forms of aggression include raids, media closures, equipment confiscation, deportation of international press, passport cancellations, threats, unjustified dismissals, censorship, monitoring in chat groups, and extortion. These actions have created a climate of fear among journalists, who have been forced to take security measures for their protection, such as taking refuge in their homes, limiting their activity on social media, and avoiding coverage of high-interest public issues.

At the local level, the Special Rapporteur has received reports of threats of criminalization against journalists by mayors, governors, and "collective" groups. There have also been reports of lists being circulated with names, photos, and personal information of leaders, electoral poll members, witnesses, and journalists to facilitate their detention. These actions are part of a growing stigmatization of journalists and independent media, who are labeled by public officials as "coup plotters," "accomplices," "operators of the fascist right," and "financed terrorists."

Due to the increasing fear and threat of criminalization in Venezuela, the SRFOE has learned that at least 6 journalists and media workers have decided to go into exile for security reasons.

Digital Repression and Closure of Information Spaces

The Special Rapporteur warns about the criminalization and repression of expressions on social media, as well as the use of surveillance technology to pursue and censor. According to public information, high-ranking officials have accused accessible platforms of being "multipliers of hate" and are promoting laws that label those who criticize the regime online as "fascists," "neofascists," or "cyberfascists." Additionally, at least 107 websites have been selectively blocked, including 63 media outlets and 9 human rights platforms. In a live broadcast, Nicolás Maduro also ordered the blocking and uninstallation of applications, encouraging tools that compromise the security and privacy of users. This situation has forced journalists to avoid showing faces at protests and to adopt measures to protect their identities and maintain anonymity.

Similarly, the IACHR and its SRFOE have been informed about official and military propaganda campaigns that include profiling and cyber-patrolling against those who criticize the regime on social media or participate in protests. Additionally, there have been reports of audiovisual content being produced that depicts critics as criminals, who are also reportedly forced to issue statements of repentance in front of cameras from intelligence agencies, as acts of public humiliation.

The extensive blocking of websites has created an informational blockade that limits access to critical content and favors the official version of the electoral results. This censorship impacts the economic viability of media outlets and severely restricts the informational ecosystem in Venezuela. In this context, the deportation of international press teams, such as that of TVN from Chile, and Nicolás Maduro's accusations against the international press, exacerbate opacity and undermine informational diversity. The SRFOE warns that the presence of international media is crucial for ensuring electoral transparency and mobilizing the diplomatic and humanitarian support needed to address the human rights crisis in the country.

The SRFOE condemns the abuse of power by the Venezuelan regime, which employs institutional mechanisms to silence and repress those who criticize or dissent, particularly in relation to the electoral process. These practices of institutional violence and State terrorism are not only aimed at the persecution of specific sectors, but also establish a climate of fear and generalized intimidation, with the objective of perpetuating the authoritarian regime in power. This grave situation is compounded by the recent enactment of the “Law on Oversight, Regulation, Operation, and Financing of Non-Governmental Organizations and Similar Entities.”

Therefore, the Special Rapporteur urges the international community, and particularly the States in the region, to call on the Venezuelan State to:

1. Release all individuals detained for exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression, political participation, press, association, and peaceful assembly;
2.  Ensure that international organizations and human rights groups have immediate and unrestricted access to visit arbitrarily detained individuals and their families;
3. End censorship, massive repression against citizens who protest, as well as the targeted persecution of specific sectors, including journalists and media outlets;
4. Guarantee the practice of journalism, including free and secure access for international correspondents;
5. End the blocking of websites, the misuse of surveillance technologies, and digital repression, and protect and ensure the digital civic space in and about Venezuela.

No. R190/24

9:21 AM