In underdeveloped countries like Venezuela is frequent the misuse of criminal law by the state to criminalize the work of human rights defenders , in order to interfere with their advocacy work and belittle the leading role they have in consolidation democracy and the rule of law.

From 2002, the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory (OVP) and other non-governmental organizations have documented the main acts of harassment against human rights defenders, who in countless opportunities have reported worsening and progressive deterioration of their constitutional guarantees. In a report on the criminalization of human rights defenders, the IACHR states that “these processes usually start by filing unfounded allegations or complaints based on non-compliant offenses with the principle of legality, or offenses according to Inter- American standards. The offenses are often linked to criminal conduct such as incitement to rebellion, terrorism, sabotage, apology of crime and attack or resistance to public authority, and tend to be applied arbitrarily by the authorities”.

Read the full newsletter Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP)

Click on the link: OVP Bulletin No.2 – ENGLISH