UN Experts Urge Venezuela To Drop Charges Against Released Human Rights Workers

UN Experts Urge Venezuela to Drop Charges Against Released Human Rights Workers

UN human rights experts in a statement on Thursday urged Venezuela to drop the charges against the members of the humanitarian non-government organization (NGO) Azul Positivo and stop attacks against civil society

UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th February, 2021) UN human rights experts in a statement on Thursday urged Venezuela to drop the charges against the members of the humanitarian non-government organization (NGO) Azul Positivo and stop attacks against civil society.

"We urge the authorities to drop the charges against the five human rights defenders of Azul Positivo," the experts said. "We call on the authorities to review restrictive laws and practices to ensure compliance with Venezuela's obligations under international human rights law, and respect and protect the work of civil society, including women human rights defenders."

On January 12, five members of Azul Positivo - an NGO supporting vulnerable communities through workshops on reproductive health - were detained in Zulia state. The human rights defenders were released on February 10, but they still face charges relating to terrorism, terrorism financing and money laundering.

The experts said that in recent months, Venezuela adopted new regulations restricting NGOs' access to international funding, including resources to address the humanitarian crisis. They urged the government to review these regulations and prioritize attention to the crisis.