UN urges Venezuela to immediately release rights activist
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The UN high commissioner for human rights on Monday called on Venezuela to free human rights activist Martha Lia Grajales, who was arrested last week, days after taking part in a Caracas demonstration.
The top UN official, Volker Turk, appealed for the “immediate release” of Grajales, according to a message posted on X by his office.
“Her family and lawyer must be informed about her fate and whereabouts. Her human rights must be respected,” he said.
Grajales, who heads a Venezuelan NGO called SurGentes, was arrested on Friday, three days after taking part in a Tuesday protest in front of the UN’s offices in Caracas, demanding the release of people detained by Venezuelan authorities after a July 2024 presidential election.
Venezuelan prosecutors said on Monday that Grajales was arrested on an arrest warrant “for actions against Venezuelan institutions and the Republic’s peace”.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed a third-term victory in the 2024 election, whose results were disputed by the opposition, and which much of the international community says he stole.
A crackdown on post-election protests by authorities led to 28 deaths and 2,400 arrests. Some 2,000 of the people detained were later released, according to official figures.
Those who remain detained have been accused of crimes such as “inciting hate” and “terrorism”, punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison.
