Karen Caruci

Cases

Relevant SG report

From Country

Country Geolocation

Latitude: 6.42375

Longitude: -66.58973

From Region

UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report

Individual's/organization's activity: Ms. Caruci represents alleged victims of torture, cruel, inhuman and/or degrading treatment presumably perpetrated by State security agents.

Type of rights defended

Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?: No

Reported trigger of reprisal: Ms. Caruci was questioned about her engagement with the UN and asked whether she was remunerated by the UN for sharing information on human rights violations.

Engagement with UN body

Type of attempted engagement

Reprisal information

According to information received by OHCHR, on 10 March 2022, Ms. Karen Caruci, human rights lawyer who had reportedly been subjected to arbitrary detention and torture or ill-treatment in December 2020 (VEN 7/2021), was re-arrested in relation to her exposure on social media of corruption in the Lara state branch of the Attorney General Office. Reportedly, Ms. Caruci was questioned about her engagement with the UN and asked whether she was remunerated by the UN for sharing information on human rights violations. Ms. Caruci represents alleged victims of torture, cruel, inhuman and/or degrading treatment presumably perpetrated by State security agents. In April 2021, a first-instance criminal court granted Ms. Caruci national protection measures. On 11 March 2022, a judge from the Caracas-based Third Special Court of First Instance on Terrorism reportedly confirmed the charge of incitement to hatred against Ms. Caruci, and she was conditionally released the same day, pending investigation. OHCHR is monitoring the case and in contact with relevant authorities.

Types of reprisals suffered

Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?: Yes

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

Follow up information provided in SG report 0

The case of Ms. Karen Caruci, a human rights lawyer who had reportedly been subjected to arbitrary detention and torture or ill-treatment in December 2020 (VEN 7/2021), was included in the 2022 report of the Secretary-General171 on allegations of re-arrest and questioning by police about her engagement with the United Nations. According to information received by OHCHR, on 16 February 2023, the Attorney General Office during a preliminary hearing formally accused Ms. Caruci of the crime of incitement to hatred (article 20 of the Law against Hate, for Peaceful Coexistence and Tolerance), which can carry sentences between 10 and 20 years of imprisonment. On the same day, the court assigned to the case determined the opening of the trial stage. As of 30 April 2023, the date for the first hearing has not yet been set.

Follow up information provided in SG report 1

The case of Ms. Karen Caruci, a human rights lawyer, was included in the 2022 and 2023 reports of the Secretary-General184 on allegations of re-arrest and police questioning about her engagement with the United Nations. Ms. Caruci was granted conditional release in March 2022. According to information received by OHCHR, a trial against State security agents reportedly responsible for acts of torture and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment against Ms. Caruci is ongoing and subject to considerable delays. With regards to the trial on the charge of incitement to hatred brought against Ms. Caruci by the Attorney General, at the time of writing, the first hearing had yet to take place. This situation has reportedly contributed to the deterioration of Ms. Caruci’s overall well-being, including physical and mental health, and has impacted her financially due to the high expenses incurred for her defense.