AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: URGENT ACTION-JAILED OPPOSITION LEADERS’ PRISON CELLS RAIDED

Further information on UA: 33/14 Index: AMR 53/016/2015 Venezuela Date: 16 February 2015

JAILED OPPOSITION LEADERS’ PRISON CELLS RAIDED

The cells of imprisoned opposition leaders Leopoldo López and Daniel Ceballos have been raided in what appears to be an act of intimidation. Both men have been arbitrarily detained since February and March 2014, respectively, in relation to the wave of protests that swept the country. They must be immediately released.

In the early hours of 13 February, prison personnel raided Leopoldo López and Daniel Ceballos’s cells and tore some of their personal belongings, such as photos and documents. It is not clear why the raid was organized. According to the men’s families, the prison personnel first tried to enter their cells but the men locked themselves inside with iron bars. They reported that twenty armed men then returned and used a blowtorch to enter. Both Leopoldo López and Daniel Ceballos are held in CENAPROMIL (Centro Nacional de Procesados Militares), a military prison in Los Teques, on the outskirts of the capital, Caracas, while they are being tried in relation to the anti-government protests that swept the country between February and July 2014.

Afectada salud de @Daniel_Ceballos por castigos con excrementos

Fuente: http://www.el-nacional.comELEONORA DELGADO/SAN CRISTÓBAL3 DE NOVIEMBRE 2014 - 04:54 PM

El ex alcalde de San Cristóbal, Daniel Ceballos

El ex alcalde de San Cristóbal Daniel Ceballos, preso en la cárcel militar de Ramo Verde, presenta problemas de salud a causa de los castigos infligidos con heces fecales por protestar con el “barrotazo”, denunciaron voceros de Voluntad Popular.

“Cuando comenzó el ‘barrotazo’ les lanzaron excremento, orina; les quitaron la luz y el agua para que no pudieran asearse. Como resultado de ello, Daniel se encuentra con dermatitis crónica en el rostro y le salieron llagas en la boca”, señaló José Vicente García, de Voluntad Popular en Táchira.

García, que es concejal en el municipio San Cristóbal, añadió que no ha sido posible prestarle atención médica adecuada a Ceballos para indicarle tratamiento.

“No han permitido evaluación médica y ni siquiera la visita de familiares. Estuvo castigado durante 15 días y hoy (lunes) le dieron oportunidad de tener la visita de su esposa, que le llevó medicamentos y solo ha hecho consultas telefónicas con médicos para más o menos tratar de evaluarlo, porque no han permitido la entrada de médicos a la cárcel de Ramo Verde”, dijo.

Detuvieron al dirigente juvenil de VP, Rosmit Mantilla

El coordinador de la tolda naranja, Freddy Guevara, dijo que presuntos efectivos del Sebin habrían dejado tres sobres con dinero rotulados con las palabras "Altamira" y "Santa Fe" en la vivienda de Mantilla

El dirigente juvenil de VP, Rosmit Mantilla (Créditos: Voluntad Popular) 

www.elmundo.com.ve

10:16 a.m. | Emen .- En horas de la madrugada fue detenido el dirigente juvenil de Voluntad Popular (VP) y activista del movimiento pro inclusión, Rosmit Mantilla (30), durante un allanamiento practicado por funcionarios del Sebin.

El coordinador nacional político adjunto de la tolda naranja, Freddy Guevara, señaló a través de la red social Twitter que presuntos efectivos del Sebin habrían dejado tres sobres con dinero rotulados con las palabras "Altamira" y "Santa Fe" en la vivienda del estudiante, reeña ultimasnoticias.com.ve.

Guevara condenó la acción al afirmar que "se trata de una nueva arremetida contra la organización política".

Kevin Spacey: SOS Venezuela

www.kevinspacey.com

By Kevin Spacey

April 5, 2014

For many weeks now, tens of thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets in protest. 

These students were standing for basic human freedoms and engaging in the right to protest, which is a sacred right whether in Boston, Belarus, or Venezuela. The government of Venezuela responded with heavy-handed repression. Within two weeks Leopoldo Lopez, the leader of the opposition party, Voluntad Popular, called for nationwide peaceful demonstrations to address the problems facing the country. These problems include chronic food shortages, the highest inflation in the world and ongoing censorship of the media. Even the Oscars were not allowed to be broadcast – for the first time in Venezuelan history. 

More than 1,400 students were arrested, there are more than 40 confirmed cases of torture and Leopoldo Lopez still sits in a Venezuelan military prison. He has urged the students to exercise their legal rights to peaceful protest and free speech and he repeatedly emphasized they must do so without violence. President Maduro has blamed Lopez for the violence that has beset the country and ordered his arrest on charges of murder, arson and terrorism. To date, the government has presented no evidence of the charges against him and their legal case is falling apart.

Lo que no dijo el Canciller en la ONU

JUANCARLOS VARGAS |  EL UNIVERSAL

jueves 6 de marzo de 2014  12:00 AM

El pasado 3 de marzo, Elías Jaua en su carácter de ministro del Poder Popular para las Relaciones Exteriores, pronunció un discurso con ocasión de celebrarse en Ginebra el XXV período de sesiones del Consejo de Derechos Humanos de la ONU. La intervención de Jaua se llevó a cabo ante 25 funcionarios de alto nivel pertenecientes a Estados Partes de esa organización, el presidente, miembros plenos y observadores de dicho Consejo.

El discurso de Jaua destacó por inexactitudes y tergiversaciones con la intención de victimizar al gobierno venezolano, al señalar que se está en presencia de una guerra psicológica, cuya naturaleza es política e ideológica y tiene como objetivo el derrocamiento del gobierno mediante protestas que carecen de contenido, que son consecuencia de la actuación de laboratorios mediáticos, así como de grupos entrenados, para colocar a Venezuela como un Estado violador de DDHH.

Ante las mentiras y burda manipulación por parte de quien se desempeña como Canciller, nos vemos obligados a recordar que la comunidad internacional ha presenciado a través de documentos, entre los que destacan informes e investigaciones elaborados por medios de comunicación, ciudadanos, y especialmente por las ONG en materia de DDHH que han prestado asistencia a las víctimas y sus familiares, que: (i) en Venezuela se ha llevado a cabo una brutal represión, principalmente por parte de la GNB y la denominada Guardia del Pueblo contra estudiantes e integrantes de la población civil; (ii) esta brutal represión se ha caracterizado por un uso desproporcionado de la fuerza, incluyendo el empleo de armas y sustancias prohibidas para el control de manifestaciones, las cuales también han sido accionadas por colectivos armados que han operado como apoyo y/o de manera conjunta con agentes del orden público; (iii) las manifestaciones se han extendido a áreas que no pertenecen a los sectores de clase media alta urbana; (iv) se persigue arbitrariamente a los principales dirigentes políticos del partido Voluntad Popular; (v) la práctica ha sido imputar a un porcentaje alto de los manifestantes con delitos contemplados en la Ley Antiterrorismo, negando las garantías del debido proceso, a ello se suma la práctica de tortura de forma sistemática.

Amnesty International: URGENT ACTION (Voluntad Popular)

UA: 33/14 Index: AMR 53/004/2014 Venezuela Date: 18 February 2014

URGENT ACTION

OPPOSITION PARTY HEADQUARTERS RAIDED

The headquarters of opposition party Voluntad Popular (Popular Will) were raided three times by security forces on 17 February. The raids appear to be an attempt to intimidate party members following their participation in recent anti-government protests.

Voluntad Popular (Popular Will) has denounced how officials of the Directorate of Military Intelligence and the National Guard entered their headquarters on three occasions on 17 February without producing a search warrant. Party members claim the officials were armed and broke into their offices without identifying themselves, causing damage to private property and intimidating their staff. They reported that the military seized the office’s security cameras, servers and other computer equipment. The officials also took with them Leonardo José Contreras, the bodyguard of David Smolansky, Mayor of El Hatillo municipality in Caracas, the capital.

Voluntad Popular believes that the security forces intended to detain Carlos Vecchio, national political coordinator of the party, who earlier that day gave a press conference confirming a call for a mass anti-government demonstration on 18 February. The demonstration was initially called by Leopoldo Lopez, leader of Voluntad Popular, who according to reports had an arrest warrant issued against him on 13 February for his alleged responsibility for violence that occurred during and after student demonstrations in the last two weeks.

During these recent protests three people were killed in Caracas, the capital, and scores were injured nationwide following clashes between the protesters, security forces and armed civilians.

Please write immediately in Spanish or your own language:

 Expressing concern at the raids of Voluntad Popular’s office, stating that it appears to be an attempt to intimidate the opposition party because of their participation in anti-government protests;

 Calling on the authorities to either charge those detained with a recognisable offence or release them immediately, to respect the right of all those charged with an offence to due process and to order a full and impartial investigation into the incident;

 Urging them to ensure that the right to freedom of expression, association and assembly are respected without discrimination, and to publicly condemn any act of violence or abuse that seeks to intimidate or silence those exercising their legitimate right to participate in these events.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 1 APRIL 2014 TO:

President of Venezuela
Nicolás Maduro Moros
Final Avenida Urdaneta, Esq. De Bolero Palacio de Miraflores
Caracas, Distrito Capital
Venezuela
Twitter: @NicolasMaduro
Salutation: Señor Presidente /
Dear President

Attorney General of the Republic
Dra. Luisa Ortega Díaz
Edificio Sede Principal del Ministerio Público, Esquinas de Misericordia a Pele El Ojo Avenida México, Caracas Venezuela
Email: ministeriopublico@mp.gob.ve
Fax: +58 212 578 3239
Salutation: Dra. Fiscal / Dear Prosecutor

And copies to:
Amnistía Internacional Venezuela Av la Salle, Torre Phelps, piso 17, Oficina 17A
Plaza Venezuela
Los Caobos, Caracas 1050 Venezuela
Fax: +58 212 793 1318 ext. 116 Email: info@aiven.org

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
NameAddress 1Address 2Address 3 Fax Fax numberEmail Email address Salutation Salutation 

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.

URGENT ACTION

OPPOSITION PARTY HEADQUARTERS RAIDED
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Amnesty International has welcomed the message of non-violence sent by both the President of the Republic and opposition leaders ahead of the mass mobilization planned for 18 February. This is especially relevant following violent outbreaks that occurred during and after pro and anti-government demonstrations on 12 February to mark Venezuelan’s Day of Youth, where three people were killed in Caracas, the capital, and scores were injured nationwide. Since 4 February several student demonstrations took place across Venezuela, during which there has been reported human rights violations and abuses.

Reports were received of excessive use of force by the security forces, including the use of fire arms, as well as clashes between protesters and security forces and violence against protesters by armed civilians, allegedly perpetrated with the consent of the security forces. For more information, see UA 29/14, Three protestors killed, others injured (http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR53/002/2014/en).

Amnesty International has been calling on the demonstrators to exercise their right to freedom of expression, assembly and association in a peaceful manner and it is urging the authorities to ensure that everyone can participate in protests without fear of being abused, detained or even killed.

The authorities must ensure that incidents occurring during pro and anti-government demonstrations in recent weeks do not go unpunished and will be investigated in a thorough and impartial manner regardless of the political ideologies of those in question.

Name: members of Voluntad Popular Gender m/f: both

UA: 33/14 Index: AMR 53/004/2014 Issue Date: 18 February 2014