REDLAD: Military and Police Crackdown Against Activists and Students in Venezuela

Source: http://www.redlad.org/node/210

MILITARY AND POLICE CRACKDOWN AGAINST ACTIVISTS AND STUDENTS IN VENEZUELA.

February 2014.

*Unofficial translation done only for the purpose of being understood.

The Permanent Secretariat of Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (REDLAD) warns about the wave of persecution and military repression in Venezuela recently deployed against youth, students and activists who defend human rights.

Shortages, insecurity, overwhelming inflation rates, the weakening of democracy, authoritarian policies, the persecution of civil society and the media, and the violation of fundamental freedoms and human rights are only part of the causes that have generated several youth organizations throughout the country, with several days in peaceful demonstrations demanding the government restore their rights.

The proximity of the commemoration of Youth Day on 12 February, has increased the student demonstrations and peaceful youth, which has exacerbated the level of police and military violence, criminalization of peaceful protest and arbitrary arrest and aggression physics (with guns and knives) against demonstrators. Only in Táchira, were arrested 5 young and taken to different prisons in squalid conditions

The Permanent Secretariat Redlad platform of more than 520 organizations that support democracy and human rights, Official Member of the Civil Society Forum of the Organization of American States (OAS) and Regional Chapter of World Movement for Democracy (WMD):

• It calls on the Venezuelan government to desist in the campaign of violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms and stop the police and military abuses. Is urgent to stop of deplorable governmental acts against citizens.

• Urges democratic governments of the world to condemn the facts and demand the respect to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

• Shows solidarity with Venezuelan citizenship and in particular youth and student organizations in demanding their rights.

• Requests the Commission on Human Rights and the Organization of American States, the study of vulnerability and continuous lesion of human rights and their protection in Venezuela.

• Urges the United Nations Rapporteur for Freedom of Assembly and Association, to study in depth the existing of human rights violation in Venezuela, criminalization of peaceful protest and the military and police brutality perpetrated against peaceful demonstrators.

• Calls for the immediate release of the arrested students and the cessation of violence against peaceful demonstrations.

 Protesta pacífica en Táchira, Venezuela.