CRITICS OF VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT DETAINED - Amnesty

[naaman fletcher]

Oswaldo Álvarez Paz was detained on 22 March after he criticized the Venezuelan government on TV. Four other outspoken critics of the government also face fabricated, politically motivated charges and two of them have been in detention for months.

On 22 March, Oswaldo Álvarez Paz, an ex-governor of the State of Zulia, was arrested and charged with “public instigation of criminality” (instigación pública a delinquir) and with “spreading false information” (difundir información falsa). His arrest came after he said on Globovisión TV on 8 March that Venezuela had become a haven for drug trafficking and cited accusations by a Spanish court that the government supports armed opposition groups. Oswaldo Álvarez Paz’s detention is part of a wave of arrests and charges against those critical of the government.

Judge María Lourdes Afiuniand Richard Blancoare also in detention. Judge Afiuni was arrested on 10 December 2009 and charged with aiding a banker to flee the country. Her arrest came immediately after the President accused her publicly of corruption. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, as well as the UN Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights defenders and on the independence of judges and lawyers have asked for her immediate release. Richard Blanco, a member of an opposition party was charged with inciting violence and injuring a police officer during a demonstration in August 2009 (See UA 346/09, AMR 53/009/2009).

On 25 March, Guillermo Zuloagawas arrested. He is the owner of Globovisión, a TV station known for its critical line against the government and the only TV station whose licence has not been revoked in recent years because of its editorial line. Guillermo Zuloaga was charged with disseminating false information and insulting the President. The same day, Wilmer Azuajewas also arrested. Wilmer Azuaje is an opposition member of parliament who is intending to stand for Governor in the state of Barinas. Wilmer Azuaje was accused of insulting a public official and allegedly hitting a woman police officer. Both men were later released but face prosecution.

Amnesty International believes that the charges for all five are politically motivated and are an attempt to silence critics of the Venezuelan government.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Spanish or your own language:

Urging the authorities to bring Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni, Richard Blanco and Oswaldo Álvarez Paz to trial in proceedings that meet international fair trial standards, or else release them immediately.
Urging the authorities to drop charges that are not recognisable criminal offences or fabricated charges brought for political reasons against its critics

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR53/004/2010/en/3c325d52-0c98-4b05-87f3-a98c1b575406/amr530042010en.html

It is disturbing to see "progressives" support this government.

[Peace Patriot]

1. This report is 4 months old. How come you shout the title, as if this were breaking news?

And why didn't you include the date?

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Seems like an update is in order. See my comments of your other CAPITALIZED ANTI-CHAVEZ POST, also 4 months old, here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x39492

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Disturbing, eh?

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"It is disturbing to see 'progressives' support this government."

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I'll bet you love it. Every time you can glean something bad about Chavez, from your internet searches--even if you have to really search around, back 4 months, to find something juicy--I'll bet you clap your hands with glee at all the "progressives" you are going to slay with it. 'Ha-ha, 'progressives'! Got you again! Take that! '

"Disturbing"? Bah, humbug. You very much want to discredit "progressives," by pointing to our slavish worship of "dictator Chavez," your Saddam du jour. It delights you to think how foolish we're gonna look when Santos finds those WMDs...oh, wait! Wait! Uribe already did! The "dirty bomb"! Chavez and Correa are helping the FARC get a "dirty bomb"!

See how embarrassed I am? I hold my head in shame. What a fool I was! How could I have ever been such a stupid "progressive"? Maybe if I just listen to sincere, well-informed, well-meaning, always intelligent and articulate rightwing bloggers, I can be born again. I can become a REAL "progressive"! A corporate "progressive"! A war "progressive"! A "free trade for the rich" "progressive"! A Chavez-hating "progressive"! A liar, a hypocrite, an enabler of war profiteers!

That's the kind of "progressive" you would like to mold, with your campaign against Chavez--and, by implication (never stated), against all the people who support Chavez and have elected and re-elected him to be their president, by huge margins. A rightwing bootlicking "progressive."

Well, sorry you are "disturbed." Really. Genuinely. And with all my heart.

:sarcasm:

[naaman fletcher]

2. I didn't shout it.

Amnesty did, I just copied and pasted the headline. I posted something 4 months old because I just learned from Judy today that Amnesty was an acceptable source.

Please stop trying to read my mind, you are not good at it.

The fact is, though, you will excuse anything and everything Chavez does, as you are doing here. Don't get mad at me because you excuse people with human rights problems.

[ChangoLoa]

3. After 8 months, Judge Afiuni is still in jail while they still haven't found the money

she supposedly received for freeing Cedeño. She was arrested 15 minutes after she pronounced the liberation. 15 MINUTES... Venezuelan investigations are super fast and efficient!