Call for the immediate release of journalists and media workers imprisoned in Venezuela
The wave of repression related to the elections, which is intensifying in Venezuela, has already imprisoned a long list of media workers and journalists. At least eight people are detained by Nicolás Maduro's government for carrying out their journalistic duties. Free Press Unlimited, together with five other press freedom organisations, expresses concerns and call for the immediate release of imprisoned media workers.
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 defence 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 organisations 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 organisations and the international community, particularly countries that maintain political and economic relations with Venezuela, to join us in urgently demanding the release of these journalists, to prevent irreparable harm.
Journalism is not a crime!
Reporteros Sin Fronteras (RSF)
Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP)
Fundamedios
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
International Press Institute (IPI)
IFEX-ALC
Voices from the South
Freedom House
