Human rights groups warn of worsening repression in Venezuela

Human rights organizations and press freedom advocates have raised alarms regarding the deteriorating situation in Venezuela. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), alongside six other organizations, submitted a shadow report to the United Nations for the upcoming Universal Periodic Review. The report highlights a worsening environment for the independent press, noting that risks to freedom of expression have reached unprecedented levels, including the imprisonment of 26 media workers last year.

Simultaneously, a coalition of Venezuelan non-governmental organizations has expressed concern over ongoing political dialogue processes. These groups claim that the release of political prisoners has been excluded from immediate priorities and agreements. They warned that leaving this issue off the agenda normalizes illegitimate deprivation of liberty and ignores the critical conditions within detention centers, where prisoners face overcrowding, malnutrition, and a lack of specialized medical care.