Advocacy charter Venezuela
Venezuela
Lawyers for Lawyers, together with the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) submitted an advocacy charter to several country delegations to draw attention to the situation of lawyers in Venezuela with regard to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Venezuela. In July 2021, Lawyers for Lawyers and IBAHRI submitted a report for the UPR of Venezuela.
In the report, Lawyers for Lawyers and IBAHRI have expressed their concern on various issues with regards to the effective guarantees for the functioning of lawyers.
Lawyers for Lawyers and IBAHRI have expressed their concern about the hindrance of lawyers’ abilities to prepare an adequate defense and threats, harassment, interference, surveillance and criminalization of lawyers by the government. Lawyers have reported being hindered in their ability to prepare an adequate defense for their clients.
Moreover, many lawyers face obstacles to conducting their work mainly in getting access to case files, being able to visit their clients in places of detention, and problems with the independence of lawyers’ associations’ due to restrictions by the Venezuelan government. This undermines the proper functioning of the judicial system, including the right to a fair trial and effective access to justice.
Lastly, according to our information, there are concerns about the further criminalization of the legitimate professional activities of lawyers after the adoption of the Administrative Regulation No.001-2021 which imposes strict controls over civil society organizations, including lawyers’ collectives.