Azul Positivo’s work is admirable and much needed to mitigate the impact of the humanitarian crisis on the population. Their work should be protected and celebrated, not criminalized
Following the arrest and charging of Johan León Reyes, Yordy Bermúdez, Layners Gutiérrez Díaz, Alejandro Gómez Di Maggio and Luis Ferrabuz of the Venezuelan NGO Azul Positivo, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, said:
“Johan, Yordy, Layners, Alejandro and Luis are prisoners of conscience, detained solely because of the humanitarian work they carry out in Venezuela with Azul Positivo. The authorities of Nicolás Maduro’s government must release them immediately and unconditionally and put an end to the harassment, prosecution and censorship of all civil society organizations working to protect the rights of the Venezuelan people. Azul Positivo’s work is admirable and much needed to mitigate the impact of the humanitarian crisis on the population. Their work should be protected and celebrated, not criminalized.”
Agents of the Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) of Zulia state arrested Johan León Reyes, Yordy Bermúdez, Layners Gutiérrez Día and Alejandro Gómez Di Maggio at the headquarters of Azul Positivo in Maracaibo on 12 January 2021, along with Miguel Guerra Raydan, who was released without charge. Luis Ferrabuz was detained at his home in the same city. The five prisoners of conscience face charges related to the Computer Crime Law and the Law against Organized Crime and the Financing of Terrorism, which Amnesty International considers unfounded and politically motivated.
