Javier Tarazona, Director of local NGO Fundaredes, and Omar de Dios García, Fundaredes’ activist, were arbitrarily detained on 2 July 2021 after attempting to report harassment from security officers at the Attorney General’s Office in the city of Coro (West). Both human rights defenders’ whereabouts remained unknown for 24 hours. Authorities presented them before a judge who denied legal representation of their choice assigning public defenders. They charged them with terrorism, among other charges. We urge authorities to release them immediately and close all criminal investigations against them.
