Aug. 2.─ On July 29, CIVICUS and Article XIX with several other civil society organizations issued a statement expressing alarm about systematic restrictions on civil society freedoms of expression, association, and assembly in Venezuela. The statement cites the Venezuelan government's is increasing restrictions on civil society, including limiting freedom of expression and persecuting human rights defenders.
On July 14, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called for an investigation of human rights organizations that allegedly worked with the United States government and received funds to "destabilize the Venezuelan government." The signers of the statement believe this "in depth investigation" is an attempt to place restrictions on freedom of expression. The Venezuelan government uses various harassment tactics, such as public threats and judicial proceedings, to silence the opposition and to restrict human rights defenders and journalists. For example, Oswaldo Alvarez Paz, a member of the opposition political party, was arrested earlier this year for commenting on Venezuela's involvement in the drug trade and was charged with "conspiracy against the government."
When Francisco Perez, a journalist, published an article on corruption in the local Valencia government, he was immediately reprimanded; on June 11, he was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison, stripped of his professional certification, and ordered to pay a fine of about a US$20,000.
According to the statement, the growing restrictions on civil society are hindering Venezuela from developing stable international relations and calls on the Venezuelan government to take immediate steps to protect the human rights defenders.
Go to: www.civicus.org/civicus-home/1438 or www.article19.org/pdfs/press/venezuela-government-crack-down.pdf
To read statement from the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (in Spanish), go to: http://www.democracialatinoamerica.org/965/caso-de-violacion-de-ddhh-en-venezuela-y-traicion-a-la-patria-contra-organizacin-sumate.html
