[JURIST] A coalition of human rights groups on Tuesday urged [press release] Venezuelan authorities to stop intimidating and harassing human rights organizations. According to the groups, the government has employed tactics intended to discredit and undermine the legitimacy of 28 international and Latin American human rights organizations by making allegations that the organizations do not support Venezuelan democracy. Additionally, numerous human rights defenders who have recently flown into Venezuela have reported that they were followed, filmed and searched by unidentified men. Groups stated that, “under international law, governments must ensure that human rights defenders are allowed to pursue their legitimiate activities without reprisals, threats, intimidation, harassment, discrimination, or unnecessary legal obstacles.” The groups went on to say that while limitations on freedom of expression may be allowed, countries should adhere to strict standards.

Venezuela has routinely been called out for their human rights abuses. Amnesty International reported last month that Venezuela effectively allows more violence [JURIST report] and abuses through its failure to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of the injuries and tortures during 2014 protests. Between February and July 2014, demonstrators gathered to protest government authority [BBC news report], resulting in conflict with police and the deaths of 43 people and the injury of 878. In response to the conflict, rights groups criticized Venezuelan security forces of abusing and unlawfully detaining protesters, and called for an end to violence [JURIST reports] in the country. Such violent demonstrations were partially motivated by Venezuela’s current economic difficulties [BBC backgrounder] and disdain towards current President Nicolas Maduro [official website, in Spanish]. In 2013 Venezuela withdrew from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights despite criticism from activists and calls by the UN [JURIST reports] for the country to remain a member.