Lapatilla

October 27, 2024, 4:09 p.m

The non-governmental organization Súmate, dedicated to the defense of human rights in Venezuela, denounced that Nélida Sánchez, its national coordinator of citizen training and a recognized human rights defender, remained imprisoned for two months on October 26, 2024, on charges that the NGO describes as arbitrary and without any legal basis.

lapatilla.com

Through a statement published on its social networks, the NGO Súmate expressed its concern about the conditions of Sánchez’s detention and noted that the activist was the victim of procedural irregularities that prolonged her detention.

Sánchez was arrested on August 26, 2024 on charges that the organization says are “fabricated” to silence her work for citizen participation and electoral transparency in Venezuela.

Since her arrest, Súmate’s legal team has warned of Sánchez’s poor health, as well as the authorities’ refusal to grant her the right to a defense. The organization demands her immediate release and an international declaration in defense of the fundamental rights of the activist.

“This is direct retaliation against those who promote democracy and human rights in Venezuela. We ask for the support of the international community to end this arbitrary detention that only aims to intimidate and silence dissenting voices,” Súmate said in his public complaint.

Sánchez is recognized for her career in citizen training and her active work in the defense of human rights in Venezuela. The case has generated pushback from various international human rights organizations, which have expressed concern over the rise in criminal cases against activists in Venezuela.