Since September 2, relatives and friends of at least 10 Guri workers have been unaware of their whereabouts. They were arrested that day by officials of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim).
There is also no information on the reason for these arrests and the crimes they are accused of.
However, a common denominator in the arrests of recent months in the country is the fear of relatives to publicly denounce violations of due process, including not knowing their physical and mental health status, the place of confinement, as well as the right to private defense.
Co-workers are also afraid to report or even comment on the matter. No one wants to speak out for fear of retaliation.
“People who have spent their productive years working for this company have no right to be missing, without their families knowing where they are, much less the reason why they were taken,” said a person close to the victims.
On the night of Thursday, September 12, human rights defender Tamara Suju reported on X the case of a Corpoelec worker detained in Guri on September 2 by the Dgcim.
He added that 20 employees were arrested, although there is no official information on who was arrested.
These cases can be classified as forced disappearances, which are defined as the “crime in which an official or a person in the service of the State deprives another of their freedom by concealing their whereabouts. It has its origins in the systematic and organized plot of disappearances of people carried out during the military dictatorships in South America,” says the NGO Access to Justice.
As an example, they mention precisely, “when the relatives of a detainee do not know where he is, either because the authorities do not know or because they do not want to tell them where he is.”
Article 45 of the Venezuelan Constitution “prohibits public authorities, whether civil or military, even in a state of emergency, exception or restriction of guarantees, from practicing, permitting or tolerating the forced disappearance of persons. Any official who receives an order or instruction to do so has the obligation to disobey it and to report it to the competent authorities. The intellectual and material authors, accomplices and concealers of the crime of forced disappearance of persons, as well as the attempt to commit the same, will be punished in accordance with the law.”
Likewise, Article 181-A of the Venezuelan Penal Code states: “Any public authority, whether civil or military, or any person in the service of the State who unlawfully deprives a person of his or her liberty and refuses to acknowledge the detention or provide information on the fate or situation of the missing person, thereby preventing the exercise of his or her constitutional and legal rights and guarantees, shall be punished with a sentence of fifteen to twenty-five years in prison. Members or members of groups or associations with terrorist, insurgent or subversive purposes who, acting as members or collaborators of such groups or associations, forcibly disappear a person by means of kidnapping or abduction shall be punished with the same penalty. Anyone who acts as an accomplice or concealer of this crime shall be punished with a sentence of twelve to eighteen years in prison.”
Fuente: Caroni Mail
#Whereabouts #workers #detained #Guri #unknown
2024-09-15 10:19:35
What are the recent trends in forced disappearances in Venezuela?
Table of Contents
Forced Disappearances in Venezuela: A Growing Concern
Venezuela, a South American country, has been grappling with an economic and political crisis since 2015, leading to the exodus of over 7.1 million people [2]. Amidst this crisis, a new concern has emerged – forced disappearances. In recent months, numerous cases of forced disappearances have been reported, leaving families and friends of the victims in a state of uncertainty and fear.
The Case of Guri Workers
On September 2, at least 10 workers from Guri, a company in Venezuela, were arrested by officials of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim). Their relatives and friends have been unaware of their whereabouts since then, with no information on the reasons for their arrests or the crimes they are accused of. This is not an isolated incident, as 20 employees from Corpoelec, another company, were also arrested on the same day.
Fear of Retaliation
The common denominator in these cases is the fear of relatives to publicly denounce violations of due process. They are afraid to report or even comment on the matter, fearing retaliation from the authorities. Co-workers are also hesitant to speak out, perpetuating a culture of silence and fear.
Definition of Forced Disappearances
Forced disappearances are defined as the “crime in which an official or a person in the service of the State deprives another of their freedom by concealing their whereabouts” . This crime has its origins in the systematic and organized plot of disappearances of people carried out during the military dictatorships in South America.
Constitutional Prohibitions
Article 45 of the Venezuelan Constitution prohibits public authorities, whether civil or military, from practicing, permitting, or tolerating forced disappearances of persons. It states that any official who receives an order or instruction to do so has the obligation to disobey it and report it to the competent authorities.
Penal Code
Likewise, Article 181-A of the Venezuelan Penal Code punishes public authorities or individuals who unlawfully deprive a person of their liberty and refuse to acknowledge the detention or provide information on the fate or situation of the missing person. The punishment for this crime can range from 15 to 25 years in prison.
Conclusion
Forced disappearances are a serious violation of human rights, and the Venezuelan government must take immediate action to address this issue. The authorities must provide information on the whereabouts of the arrested individuals, ensure their safety, and guarantee their right to due process. The international community must also condemn these actions and pressure the Venezuelan government to respect human rights and the rule of law.
Stay Updated on Venezuela
Stay on top of Venezuela’s latest developments with Al Jazeera’s fact-based news, exclusive video footage, photos, and updated maps [1]. For more information on Venezuela, including key dates and facts about this South American country, visit the BBC News website [3].
– What are the implications of forced disappearances on human rights in Venezuela, particularly in the case of the Guri workers?
The Frightening Reality of Forced Disappearances in Venezuela: A Case of 10 Guri Workers
Since September 2, 2023, the families and friends of at least 10 Guri workers have been left in the dark, unsure of their loved ones’ whereabouts after they were arrested by the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). The reason behind these arrests and the alleged crimes they are accused of remain a mystery, adding to the anxiety and uncertainty of those affected.
This incident is not an isolated event, but rather a part of a disturbing trend in Venezuela, where relatives of detainees fear speaking out against violations of due process, including lack of information on their physical and mental health status, place of confinement, and right to private defense. The consequences of speaking out can be dire, leading to retaliation and further persecution.
In a country where the rule of law is often flouted, the fear of reprisal has created a culture of silence, leaving victims and their families to suffer in the dark. As one person close to the victims poignantly put it, “People who have spent their productive years working for this company have no right to be missing, without their families knowing where they are, much less the reason why they were taken.”
The case of the Guri workers is just one example of the many forced disappearances that have occurred in Venezuela. Human rights defender Tamara Suju reported on September 12 that 20 Corpoelec workers were detained on September 2, although there is no official information on the identities of those arrested.
Forced disappearances, as defined by the NGO Access to Justice, are a grave violation of human rights, where an official or person in the service of the state deprives another of their freedom by concealing their whereabouts. This heinous crime has its roots in the systematic and organized plots of disappearances carried out during military dictatorships in South America.
Article 45 of the Venezuelan Constitution clearly prohibits public authorities from practicing, permitting, or tolerating forced disappearances of persons. Furthermore, Article 181-A of the Venezuelan Penal Code stipulates that any public authority or person in the service of the state who unlawfully deprives a person of their liberty and refuses to acknowledge the detention or provide information on the fate or situation of the missing person shall be punished with a sentence of 15 to 25 years in prison.
Despite these laws, forced disappearances continue to occur in Venezuela, often with impunity. The silence and inaction of the authorities in the face of these abuses only serve to perpetuate the cycle of fear and intimidation.
The case of the 10 Guri workers is a stark reminder of the need for accountability and transparency in the Venezuelan justice system. It is imperative that the authorities provide information on the whereabouts and well-being of the detainees and ensure that they are granted access to legal counsel and due process.
As the world watches, it is essential that we stand in solidarity with the victims of forced disappearances and their families, demanding justice and an end to these grave human rights violations. The people of Venezuela deserve better, and it is our collective responsibility to raise our voices against these abuses and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
Keywords: Forced disappearance, Venezuela, Guri workers, DGCIM, human rights, due process, accountability, transparency, justice.
