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“Political Persecution in Venezuela” Report to the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations on the occasion of the 4th Periodic Review Report of the Venezuelan State in the 114th session of June 2015, on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights “POLITICAL PERSECUTION IN VENEZUELA” Systematization of patterns of persecution to Venezuelan political dissidents Geneva, june 2015 0 Presentation This report was prepared by the organization CEPAZ Justice and Peace Center, for the Human Rights Committee on the occasion of examination performed in Venezuela Fourth Report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This report is focused on patterns of persecution of individuals and groups for political reasons, corresponding to Articles 2, 9, 14, 19 and 25 of the Covenant. Center for Justice and Peace, CEPAZ: organization that since its creation, promotes citizen activism for human rights and has made systematic monitoring, analysis, reporting, dissemination and training on the situation of human rights in Venezuela, with the permanent references to the covenants and conventions that make up the International Human Rights System. www.cepaz.org.ve [email protected] 1 INDEX ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................... 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... 6 POLITICAL PERSECUTION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS ............................................... 10 PATTERNS OF PERSECUTION FOR DISSENT USED BY THE VENEZUELAN STATE .................................... 14 Judicial Proceeding ................................................................................................................................ 14 Persecution through the use of the media ............................................................................................... 16 Dismissal of dissident politicians from public office. ............................................................................... 17 Irregular raids on private property ......................................................................................................... 19 Stripping of parlamentary inmunity ........................................................................................................ 20 Polítical Inhabilitation ............................................................................................................................ 21 Misappropriation of public funtions ........................................................................................................ 21 Aquiescecen of violent actions against politicians . ................................................................................. 23 CASES OF POLITICAL PERSECUTION IN VENEZUELA ............................................................................. 25 I. Description of Cases of Representatives of the Opposition at the National Legislative Power ........... 30 Case: Richard Mardo ................................................................................................................................... 30 Case: María Aranguren ............................................................................................................................... 31 Case: Julio Borges ....................................................................................................................................... 32 Case: María Corina Machado ...................................................................................................................... 34 Case: Juan Carlos Caldera ........................................................................................................................... 36 II. Cases of Authorities of the Regional Executive Power ....................................................................... 38 Case: Henrique Capriles Radonski .............................................................................................................. 38 Case: Daniel Ceballos ................................................................................................................................. 39 Case: David Smolansky y Gerardo Blyde ................................................................................................... 41 Case: Gustavo Marcano .............................................................................................................................. 42 Case: Ramón Muchacho .............................................................................................................................. 43 Case: Vincenzo (Enzo) Scarano .................................................................................................................. 45 III. Cases of Representatives of Municipal Legislative Power ................................................................ 46 Case: Darío Ramírez ................................................................................................................................... 46 Case: Giuseppe Di Fabio ............................................................................................................................. 48 Case: Carlos García ..................................................................................................................................... 48 IV. Cases of other Political Leaders from the Opposition ....................................................................... 49 Case: Leopoldo López ................................................................................................................................. 49 Case: Raúl Baduel ....................................................................................................................................... 51 Case: Carlos Vecchio .................................................................................................................................. 52 Case: Óscar López ....................................................................................................................................... 52 Case: Hernando y Sandra Garzón ............................................................................................................... 53 V. Cases of Students and other Leaders .................................................................................................. 55 Case: Alexander Tirado ............................................................................................................................... 55 Case: Rosmit Mantilla ................................................................................................................................. 55 Case: Gaby Arellano ................................................................................................................................... 57 Case: Enrique y Javier Sierra ...................................................................................................................... 57 Case: Renzo Prieto ...................................................................................................................................... 58 Case: Rodolfo González .............................................................................................................................. 59 Case: Gerardo Resplandor ........................................................................................................................... 60 2 Case: Sairam Rivas ..................................................................................................................................... 60 Case: Julio Cesar Rivas ............................................................................................................................... 61 Case: Vilca Fernández ................................................................................................................................. 61 Case: Ricardo Hausmann ............................................................................................................................ 61 Case: Antonio Rivero .................................................................................................................................. 62 FINAL REMARKS AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................. 64 REFERENCES ……………………… …………………………………………..…………………………………….………………..69 3 Abbreviations AN: Asamblea Nacional. / National Assembly ACHR: American Convention on Human Rights IACD: Inter-American Democratic Charter IAHR: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights CNE: Consejo Nacional Electoral / National Electoral Council CICPC: Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas/ Body of Scientific, Criminal and Criminology Investigations CRBV: Constitución de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela/ Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. COPP: Código Orgánico Procesal Penal/ Organic Code for Criminal Procedures CP: Código Penal/Criminal Code IA Court HR: Inter-American Court of Human Rights GNB: Guardia Nacional Bolivariana/ Bolivarian National Guard DIM: Dirección de Inteligencia Militar/ Division of Militar Intelligence UDHR: Universal Declaration of Human Rights FGR: Fiscalía General de la República/ General Attorney Office INAC: Instituto Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil/ National Institute of Civil Aeronautics LGTBI: Lesbian, Gay, Trans, Bisexual and
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