| AI INDEX: AMR 53/004/2002 23 April 2002 |
PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 53/004/2002
UA 124/02 Death threats/fear for safety
23 April 2002
VENEZUELA Liliana Ortega (f) - President of Comité
de Familiares de Victimas del 27 de Febrero (COFAVIC),
Committee of the Relatives of the Victims of 27
February Other members of COFAVIC
Amnesty International is concerned for the safety
of Liliana Ortega, president of COFAVIC and other
members of the human rights organisation following
a series of threatening emails and telephone calls.
On 18 April, an anonymous phone call was made to
the offices of COFAVIC in which the caller said "Digale
a la Doctora (Ortega) que no se aparte del
camino,..[o] sangre va correr" (Tell the doctor if
she steps out of line,.. blood will run). Prior to
this and in subsequent days, threatening emails
were also sent to COFAVIC.
Between 11 and 13 April, President Hugo Chávez was
briefly overthrown by a section of the military,
following an anti-government demonstration in the
capital Caracas. During the 48 hours of political
turmoil, at least 45 people were killed and over
100 were wounded. By 13 April protests led to the
return to power of the constitutionally elected
President and his government.
COFAVIC and other human rights organizations have
worked to document the many human rights
violations which occurred during the three days.
Along with other national and international human
rights organizations, COFAVIC have publicly called
for independent and impartial investigations to be
carried out, in order to clarify all levels of
responsibility for the violence and bring to
justice those responsible.
On 19 April the Inter American Commission on Human
Rights (IACHR) issued protection measures on
behalf of Liliana Ortega and other members of
COFAVIC, requiring the Venezuelan authorities to
take steps to guarantee their safety.