General Assembly 2008 Country Report: Venezuela
Inter American Press Association
5 November 2008
1 minute read
President Nicolás Maduro’s regime has increased surveillance, persecuted political dissent, and blocked the flow of information online. Venezuelan journalists, activists and political dissidents are looking for ways to circumvent and report the abuse.
Both national and foreign journalists face a climate of hostility and repression, marked by arbitrary arrests, threats, physical attacks, censorship and restrictions on information access. RSF strongly condemns these violations and demands immediate restoration of journalists’ rights.
We, the undersigned organizations and members of the global human rights community, urgently call for unfettered access to the internet, social media platforms, and other communication channels for the people in Venezuela at all times. We also demand an end to the use of technological tools and digital platforms for the surveillance and persecution of political dissent, particularly in the wake of the presidential elections of July 28. This commitment is crucial to respect the rights enshrined in Venezuela’s Constitution and the country’s international commitments.