Some individuals held at the Directorate General of Military Counter-Intelligence (DGCIM)
Cases- Case status
- Unknown
- Location of case in SG report
- 2021-114-001
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2021
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 6.42375
Longitude: -66.58973
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Venezuela
- From Region
- UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
- UN Human Rights Council: UN Independent Investigation
- Dates of prior UN action
- September 2020
- Type of record
- Unnamed individual/group/organization
- Gender
- Gender unclear
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- No
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Individual's/organization's activity
individuals held at the Directorate General of Military Counter-Intelligence (DGCIM)
- Type of rights defended
- Unclear in SG Report
- Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
individuals held at the Directorate General of Military Counter-Intelligence (DGCIM) cooperating with the UN, including the inclusion of their cases in the FFM report
- Engagement with UN body
- UN Human Rights Council: UN Independent Investigation
- Type of attempted engagement
- Submission of information to UN
- Location of mentioned reprisals
- Directorate General of Military Counter-Intelligence (DGCIM), Venezuela
- Reprisal information
As an illustration, according to information received, the detention conditions of some individuals held at the Directorate General of Military Counter-Intelligence (DGCIM) worsened reportedly due to their cooperation with the UN, including after the inclusion of their cases in the FFM report. In one particular case, two days after the report’s release, navy captain Mr. Luis de la Sotta (A/HRC/45/CRP.1, paras. 760–797) was reportedly moved to a cell measuring 60X60cm x 2.75m, where he was kept for at least 12 hours. The size of the cell forced Ms. de la Sotta to remain standing and he was reportedly handcuffed, had difficulty breathing due to lack of ventilation, and had no access to food, water or sanitation facilities.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Deterioration in detention conditions
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- State actors
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- Yes
- Government response dates
- 26 August 2021
- Government response content
On 26 August 2021, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report, stating that none of the cases included can be linked to intimidation and reprisals for cooperation with the UN. The Government categorically rejected the way in which the report has approached the cases as alleged reprisals for cooperation with the UN when most of them are allegations and assertions without any legal basis, including those made in connection with the fact-finding mission. Regarding the case of NGOs Azul Positivo, the Government referred to its firm and exhaustive reply provided to special procedures mandate holders on the case. Furthermore, the Government informed that a process of dialogue is currently underway with NGOs working on human rights and humanitarian law to exchange ideas and opinions on their work and the possible obstacles they have faced, and with the cooperation of the OHCHR Office in Venezuela.
- Was the case raised by a State at the UN?
- No
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- No
- How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
- 0