In Venezuela, 105 attacks and security incidents against human rights defenders were recorded in the month of January, 90 more than in December, when 15 cases were reported, the NGO Center for Defenders and Justice (CDJ) reported on Monday, 6.
“Aggressions against civil society have intensified, a product of new threats to civic and democratic space, especially in the face of advances in a regulation that aims to control non-governmental organizations,” the NGO said in its latest report.
It also highlighted that there has been an increase in “institutional violence” against individuals and advocacy organizations, which some authorities and politicians describe as “enemies,” “traitors,” and “destabilizers.”
Of the total cases, 68 were stigmatization, 25 of intimidation and harassment, 10 of threats, one was arbitrary detention, and one was a digital attack.
“On different digital platforms, media and in institutional spaces such as parliamentary sessions, accusations were made criminalizing the defense, demand, and promotion of rights, through systematic smear campaigns against non-governmental organizations,” the report highlights.
The NGO indicated that 50% of the perpetrators were public officials, mainly parliamentarians and government members, 29% were media outlets linked to the ruling party, 17% were people or groups, 3% were public institutions, and 1% were security organizations.
Until this year, several civil society organizations have spoken out against a bill to monitor the actions and funding of NGOs, which they say includes the persecution of humanitarian actors, “suppresses the human right to freedom of association and closes civic space.”
The initial bill – currently being revised in Parliament and promoted by the ruling majority – provides fines of up to US$12,000 for groups that fail to register with the control entity they intend to create or declare the identity and origin of donations.
With information from EFE