The government would have annulled the passports of 40 activists and journalists in the post-election context

• Peace Laboratory considered that this measure seeks to “neutralize and silence” critical voices

The non-governmental organization (NGO) Peace Laboratory denounced that the government of Nicolás Maduro annulled the passports of at least 40 journalists and human rights activists after the presidential elections on July 28.

However, the organization assured in an interview Financial Times on Sunday, October 13, that the number could be even higher, due to the fear that people feel about reporting.

“Unlike murder or torture, which have a greater political cost, the government has discovered that canceling passports is an effective way to neutralize and silence critical voices with minimal effort,” explained the co-director of the Peace Laboratory, Rafael Uzcátegui, to this British media.

Those affected realize the irregularity with their passports when their documents are canceled without explanation and then they are confiscated when trying to board a flight at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, according to the NGO.

Photo: Saime/ Twitter

The cancellation of Venezuelan passports is “harassment”

In the context of the post-election protests that began on July 29, users on social networks have reported several cases of passport annulment. The NGO Aula Abierta described this government practice as a “harassment tool”.

“The government of Nicolás Maduro has adopted and perpetuated a series of repressive practices that seriously limit fundamental freedoms in Venezuela. Among the repressive measures implemented is the arbitrary retention of passports, a measure used as a tool of harassment,” he said in a publication on his website on August 7.

Photo: courtesy

Likewise, he highlighted that the annulment of Venezuelan passports represents a violation of human rights and international standards that guarantee freedom of movement, the right to identification and the right to nationality.

In this sense, he indicated that the retention or cancellation of the passport limits the owners of the document to travel and participate in academic or work activities abroad.

“(Passport annulment) also serves as a means to silence dissent by not allowing them to identify themselves, which translates into violation of their human rights,” the organization insisted.”

In what cases does passport cancellation apply?

The website of the Administrative Service for Identification, Migration and Immigration (Saime) establishes that the request to cancel A Venezuelan passport must be carried out by the owner of the document in case of theft, robbery, loss, deterioration or use of all pages.

The owner of the document is the one who must carry out its cancellation through the website: https://tramites.saime.gob.ve and click on the “passport cancellation” link to follow the steps indicated on the portal. Depending on the case, the citizen must go or not to one of the Saime headquarters.

Photo: José Daniel Ramos @danielj2511

“The cancellation of a passport is carried out due to the existence of causes that make its use impossible and thus allow obtaining a new one (renewal). The causes for the cancellation of a passport are error or update in the data, theft, loss, deterioration or exhaustion of pages,” reads the organization’s website.

However, Saime has the power to cancel the passport in case of expiration, failure to comply with legal obligations and improper use. According to the organization’s website, this measure is taken to prevent the citizen from leaving Venezuela illegally, either because he is a fugitive from justice, uses the document fraudulently or because it has not been renewed.

The SAIME can also cancel the Venezuelan passport if there is an error in the personal data, but after cancellation it must be reissued. In addition, the cancellation of the document is also carried out if the citizen renounces his Venezuelan nationality.

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