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EXTERNAL                                     AI Index: AMR 53/13/96
                                             1 November 1996
 
EXTRA 170/96      Prisoners of conscience / Fear of torture 
 
VENEZUELA        Juan Bautista Moreno
                 Carlos Julio Alvarez
                 Marin de Jesus Madrid Restrepo
                 Jose Moreno Flores
                 Jose Adolfo Peluco Prado     
 
                       - all human rights activists
 
On 28 October 1996 the five human rights activists named above were
arbitrarily arrested by members of the Direccion de Inteligencia y
Prevencion, DISIP, Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention
Services, a police intelligence agency, in Guasdualito, Apure state.
They were held incommunicado for at least two days in the police
station in Guasdualito, where they are still held. Amnesty
International fears that they may be facing torture in police
custody.
 
The arrests took place at the home of Juan Bautista Moreno, who is
the President of the Comite para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos
(CODEHUM), a human rights non-governmental organization (NGO) based
in Guasdualito.  While raiding the house, without a warrant, the
DISIP members threatened, insulted and accused the five of been
subversives, and of having in their possession extensive human
rights information and documentation, in particular the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.  
 
Amnesty International is seriously concerned about the arbitrary
detention of human rights defenders working in the region bordering
Colombia. They appear to be the last and only resource of the local
population against human rights violations.
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
 
An Amnesty International delegation, including the Secretary
General, recently visited Venezuela to present a memorandum
addressed to President Rafael Caldera in which it summarized the
organization's concerns about the deteriorating human rights
situation in the country.  During the visit, the AI delegation held
a meeting with several Venezuelan human rights organizations, which
supported AI's concerns. The human rights defenders participating
in that meeting also expressed the increasing pressure and even
threats they are suffering from local authorities as a result of
their work. Among those present were representatives of CODEHUM,
which updated the organization about the sharp increase in serious
human rights violations by the security forces - including dozens
of recent cases of torture - in Guasdualito and other areas of
Apure. 
 
They also reported recent incidents of threats against their members
by local authorities. Two members of CODEHUM have been arbitrarily
arrested and their houses were raided without a warrant.
Documentation on human rights issues were stolen (including the
information that the AI delegation provided to them during their
meetings) by members of DISIP (see UA 191/96, AMR 53/06/96, 30 July
1996 and follow-up).
 
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and
airmail letters either in Spanish or in your own language: 
 
- expressing deep concern about the arbitrary detention of the five
(name some of them), apparently solely as a result of their work as
human rights defenders, and calling for their immediate and
unconditional release; 
 
- seeking assurances that they are being protected from any form of
torture or ill-treatment; 
 
- calling for a thorough investigation into their arbitrary arrest
and for those responsible to be brought to justice;  
 
- calling for assurances that human rights defenders, their work and
organizations will be fully respected by the authorities; 
 
if possible, also: 
- urge the authorities to fully respect the right to personal
liberty and integrity contemplated among others in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights article 9 and 11.2 and 12 (see below)
and the American Convention on Human Rights in its articles 7, 9 and
10 and in the Venezuelan constitution article 60.1.  
 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
 
Article 9         No one should be subjected to arbitrary arrest,
detention or exile. 
 
Article 11.2      No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence
on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal
offence, under national or international law, at the time when it
was committed..... 
 
Article 12        No one shall be subjected to arbitrary
interference with his privacy, family home or correspondence, nor
to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right
to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
 
APPEALS TO
 
President of the Republic:
 
Dr. Rafael Caldera          [Salutation: Sr. Presidente/Dear President]
Presidente de la Republica
Palacio Miraflores
Caracas, Venezuela
Telegrams: Presidente Caldera, Venezuela
Telexes: 21161 MIRAF VC
Fax: + 582 8610793
 
Director General of Technical & Judicial Police:
 
Comisario Jose Ramon Lazo Ricardi
[Salutation: Sr Director General/Dear General Director]
Parque Carabobo,
Caracas, Venezuela
Telegrams: Director General de DISIP, Caracas, Venezuela
Fax: + 582 574 0972
 
Attorney General:
 
Dr Ivan Dario Badell Gonzalez
[Salutation: Sr. Fiscal General/ Dear Attorney Genral]
Fiscal General de la Republica
Esquinas de Manduca a Ferrenquin,
Caracas, Venezuela
Telegrams: Fiscal General, Caracas, Venezuela
Fax: + 58 2 564 7461
 
PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:  His Excellency Dr Roy
Chaderton-Matos, Embassy of Venezuela, 1 Cromwell Road, London SW7
2HR. Fax: 0171 589 8887
 
AND, IF POSSIBLE, TO THE FOLLOWING:
 
Human rights ngo:
 
Red de Apoyo
Edif. Caroata, Nivel Oficina 2, Of. 220
Parque Central, Caracas, Venezuela
Tel/fax: (582) 5741949 and 5748005
 
Governor of the Apure state:
 
Jose Gregorio Montilla        
Gobernador del Estado Apure
Calle Bolivar
Cruce con Comercio y Piar
San Fernando de Apure
Estado Apure, Venezuela
 
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.  Please do not send appeals after
1 December 1996.
 
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
+ If you have any queries about this Urgent Action or about +
+ the UA scheme in general, please contact:                 +
+   Ray Mitchell                                            +
+   Amnesty International UK Section                        +
+   99 - 119 Rosebery Avenue                                +
+   London EC1R 4RE      email: rmitchel@amnesty.org.uk     +
+-----------------------------------------------------------+