On January 9, 2024, the National Assembly resumed consideration of a bill that seeks to restrict and potentially criminalize and close down non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Venezuela. This bill passed a preliminary vote on January 24, 2023, and its final passage into law may be imminent. If the bill is approved, all NGOs will have to comply with abusive measures or face criminal prosecution. These measures would violate the right to freedom of association, the right to privacy and others, putting NGOs and their beneficiaries at serious risk of criminal prosecution and reprisals. We emphatically urge the National Assembly to immediately put a stop to this bill and cease all attacks on civil society.
