Humanitarian NGO staff are prisoners of conscience
On 12 January, Officers of the Directorate of Military Counterintelligence in Maracaibo (DGCIM) detained staff members from Azul Positivo, a medical and humanitarian NGO in Zulia (Western Venezuela). Johan León Reyes, Yordy Bermúdez, Layners Gutiérrez Díaz, Alejandro Gómez Di Maggio and Luis Ferrabuz, have been charged with financial crimes and ‘association to commit crimes’. Amnesty International considers their detention and prosecution to be solely based on the humanitarian work carried out by the NGO they work for, Azul Positivo. They are prisoners of conscience and they must be released immediately and unconditionally. TAKE ACTION
Military arbitrarily detain NGO staff
Officers of the Directorate of Military Counterintelligence in Maracaibo (DGCIM) detained six staff members from Azul Positivo, a medical and humanitarian NGO in Venezuela, on 12 January in Zulia (Western Venezuela). One was released, but five remain detained and will be charged. DCGIM officers raided the NGO’s office and seized their work equipment. Staff members have not had access to their lawyers or family. We demand the immediate release of all Azul Positivo workers and the halt of harassment and criminal prosecution of civil society. TAKE ACTION days left to take action
Officers of the Directorate of Military Counterintelligence in Maracaibo (DGCIM) detained six staff members from Azul Positivo, a medical and humanitarian NGO in Venezuela, on 12 January in Zulia (Western Venezuela). One was released, but five remain detained and will be charged. DCGIM officers raided the NGO’s office and seized their work equipment. Staff memb