President Nicolas Maduro must immediately and unconditionally release these 10 men and women who are unfairly detained in Venezuela.
What’s the problem?
These 10 men and women show the extent and range of the Venezuelan government’s policy of repression. From teachers to trade unionists, from human rights defenders to journalists; anyone can be a victim of politically motivated arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearance and seeing their life plans destroyed. They all must be immediately and unconditionally released.
In the last decade, Amnesty International has documented the use of arbitrary detentions for political reasons as part of a policy of repression implemented by the government of Nicolás Maduro. These detentions have been part of a generalized and systematic attack against the population in Venezuela and therefore could constitute crimes against humanity.
These individuals’ lives were detained when they were unfairly arrested, including their plans to start a family, support their communities or contribute to the livelihoods of their loved ones. They are:
- Emirlendris Benítez, a tradeswoman and mother, arrested in August in 2018
- María Auxiliadora Delgado and Juan Carlos Marrufo, a married couple, arrested in March 2019
- Roland Carreño, a journalist and political activist, arrested October in 2020
- Guillermo Zárraga, a former-unionist and father, arrested November in 2020
- Darío Estrada, a father and neurodiverse person, arrested in December 2020
- Robert Franco, a teacher and trade unionist, arrested in December 2020
- Javier Tarazona, a human rights defender and brother, arrested July in 2021
- Gabriel Blanco, an activist and humanitarian worker, arrested in July 2022
- John Álvarez, student and musician, arrested in August 2023
We demand their immediate and unconditional release.
What can you do to help?
Dozens of individuals detained for political reasons in Venezuela have been released after Amnesty International supporters took action. Sign this petition. Call on Nicolas Maduro to immediately and unconditionally release these men and women.