This briefing paper by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) analyzes the instrumentalization of the Venezuelan penal system to persecute dissent. Through special “terrorism” courts and the discretionary use of ambiguous legislation, the State has subjected thousands of individuals to politically motivated proceedings. These actions, which lack minimum due process guarantees, intensified drastically following the elections of July 28, 2024.
The ICJ concludes that the justice system is not only incapable of protecting human rights due to its lack of independence, but also operates deliberately as an instrument of political persecution. The anti-terrorism courts do not comply with international standards of organization or functioning, while the application of excessively broad and vague criminal definitions facilitates the criminalization of legitimate human rights activities.
Finally, the ICJ recommends that Parliament urgently reform the Organic Law Against Organized Crime and Terrorist Financing to ensure that the definition of “terrorism” and associated conduct is precise and restricted. This is necessary to exclude the possibility of it being used to criminalize freedom of expression, the right to assembly, or human rights defense work. Likewise, it urges the Judiciary to fully guarantee due process and to abolish the special courts against terrorism.
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English: The Use of Anti-Terrorism Courts to Suppress Dissent in Venezuela
Spanish: El uso de los tribunales antiterroristas para suprimir la disidencia en Venezuela.
