Venezuela: End violent repression, guarantee protest and human rights

July 31, 2024. We, the undersigned organizations, demand respect for and guarantee of the right to freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful protest in Venezuela. There is documented and clear evidence that Venezuelan public security agents used disproportionate force against post-electoral protests. We call on the authorities to refrain from criminalizing protest and to comply fully with international standards and norms on the use of force.

The protests in Venezuela are taking place following the presidential elections held last Sunday, July 28, 2024. The international community has questioned the election’s transparency. The Carter Center, one of the two international technical observation missions invited and accredited by the Venezuelan National Electoral Council itself, declared that "the 2024 presidential election in Venezuela did not meet international standards of electoral integrity and cannot be considered democratic".

State authorities and public security forces must respect the right to protest, which is an essential element in democracies and a critical tool for claiming rights. It is also a way for citizens to participate in matters of public interest. Likewise, authorities must avoid the use of speeches that encourage and incite violence against people exercising their legitimate right to participate in peaceful demonstrations. They must avoid stigmatization of civil society organizations.

Following the elections and as of the time this statement’s release, national organizations have recorded at least 11 deaths and have identified the use of lethal weapons by alleged security forces and armed civilians linked to those forces. The undersigned organizations condemn the use of weaponry and remind that in no case should lethal force be used to control demonstrations. According to international standards, the deprivation of the right to life involving use of force by the State would be arbitrary extrajudicial execution in some cases. These incidents must be investigated promptly, independently and impartially and with due diligence.

The pre-electoral and post-electoral context in Venezuela has been marked by repression and multiple human rights violations. These demonstrate a serious pattern of politically motivated detentions, potentially unlawful killings, restrictions on freedom of the press, and internet shutdowns. We are particularly concerned about the hundreds of arbitrary detentions after July 28 documented by national organizations. They continues to receive information of new cases and carry out this documentation work in an extremely adverse context.

We are particularly alarmed by the criminalization of protests and, in particular, by the statements made by Attorney General Tarek William Saab informing the press that more than 749 people have been arrested in connection with the protests. They are being accused of "violent acts" and will be charged with crimes such as public instigation, obstruction of public roads, instigation of hatred, resistance of authority and, in the most serious cases, terrorism. In addition, they may be sentenced to imprisonment.

We recall that the State of Venezuela is obligated under Article 68 of its Constitution and international law to respect and protect, without discrimination, the rights of all demonstrators, as well as protest observers, bystanders and journalists. The use of force constitutes a violation of this obligation if it does not conform to international standards including the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, precaution, non-discrimination and accountability. Authorities in Venezuela have an obligation to de-escalate conflict, use non-violent means, use force only where necessary in a proportionate manner, and respect the right to political participation through the electoral process.

Given the internet outages documented in the electoral context, we remind that internet access is intimately related to the right to protest. It allows tracking of and denouncing abuses, communicating in real time and organizing peacefully. Internet blockades affect freedom of expression and access to information, essential for democracy and pluralism. Restrictions on internet access during protest contexts are commonly used as a form of repression and control to limit the ability of the population to mobilize and exercise their rights freely both online and offline.

It is crucial that all persons be able to freely exercise their right to freedom of expression, assembly and association without fear for their lives and physical integrity and life wellbeing. Furthermore, Venezuelan authorities must ensure that no one is prosecuted or deprived of liberty for peacefully exercising their rights.

Finally, we call on the international community to demand respect for the civil and political rights of people in Venezuela. We ask the international justice mechanisms to remain alert to possible serious human rights violations in the context of the protests that have been taking place since July 28 and to include the documentation of such international crimes in the ongoing international justice mechanisms such as the UN Fact-Finding Mission and the International Criminal Court.

Signatory organizations

• Amnesty International

• Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)

• CIVICUS

• International Commission of Jurists

• Freedom House

• Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect

• International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights

• International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)

• Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)

• World Organization Against Torture (OMCT)

• Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights