Eight people are detained by Nicolás Maduro's government for carrying out their journalistic duties.
The wave of repression related to the elections, which is intensifying in Venezuela, has already imprisoned a long list of media workers and journalists.Eight journalists are being held for their work in reporting. The charges against them include crimes such as “terrorism,” “incitement to hatred,” “association to commit a crime,” and “resistance to authority,” which carry sentences ranging from 12 to 20 years in prison. This is concerning, as it is evident that these crimes are being misused to target journalists in an attempt to silence them.
The arrests have shown numerous irregularities, such as detaining journalists without informing them of the charges against them or holding hearings that do not respect due process, condemning some of them to 45 days in prison. Additionally, their defense has been assigned to public defenders, as they have been denied representation by trusted private lawyers. It is also worth noting that the whereabouts of some journalists remain unknown.
The imprisoned journalists in the context of covering the elections and protests are: Luis López (reporter/La Guaira), Yuosnel Alvarado (photojournalist/Barinas), Paúl León (cameraman/Trujillo), Deysi Peña (photojournalist/Miranda), José Gregorio Camero (producer and presenter/Guárico), Eleángel Navas (photographer and community manager/Anzoátegui), Gilberto Reina (reporter/Bolívar), and Ana Carolina Guaita (reporter/La Guaira).
In defense of journalism and the Venezuelan public’s right to independent, plural, and reliable information—especially in a moment of deep institutional crisis like the one the country is experiencing—the undersigned organizations demand the immediate release of these journalists.
After the elections, Venezuela has experienced an escalation in restrictions and censorship imposed by Nicolás Maduro’s government. Dozens of newspapers and digital media outlets have faced website blockades, multiple foreign journalists have been expelled from the country, and the passports of several media workers have been canceled. Additionally, journalists across different regions of the country continue to face constant intimidation by security forces. The detention of these eight media workers, however, is an extreme measure that lacks any legal basis and must be immediately revoked.
Aggravating this situation is the fact that some of the detainees suffer from serious health conditions that could put their well-being at risk: Luis López has high blood pressure, Gilberto Reina has heart problems, and José Gregorio Camero suffers from acute coronary syndrome and an occlusive coronary lesion.
We call on multilateral organizations and the international community, particularly countries that maintain political and economic relations with Venezuela, to urgently demand the release of these journalists, to prevent irreparable harm from occurring.
Journalism is not a crime! Freedom now!