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Contact: Thor Halvorssen, Human Rights Foundation, (212) 246.8486, info@thehrf.org
CARACAS, Venezuela, Jan. 7 /Standard Newswire/ -- Monica Fernandez, former judge and one of the leaders of the Foro Penal Venezolano, was shot Saturday afternoon in circumstances that, prior to a full investigation, the government of Venezuela has declared a "car robbery." Ms. Fernandez directs the Venezuelan research division of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF).
Photo: Monica Fernandez
Ms. Fernandez was kidnapped and shot at point-blank range while loading her car with plants she had bought with her fiancé, Javier Herrera. Mr. Herrera, a police officer, was shot five times while trying to prevent the attack. Mr. Herrera killed one of the aggressors; the other drove off with Ms. Fernandez. He later released her and left the car parked nearby. Both Ms. Fernandez and Mr. Herrera are hospitalized in
Ms. Fernandez began supervising investigations of human rights violations for HRF in July of 2007. Her current duties consist of documenting the cases of political prisoners as well as exposing political discrimination and persecution of dissidents committed by the government of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.
The night before she was shot, Ms. Fernandez was the subject of "La Hojilla" ("The Razor"), a government-funded TV news program that airs on the state-run Venezolana de Television. The host of the program, Mario Silva, showed Ms. Fernandez´s photograph and repeatedly attacked her as an "enemy" of the state. This was not the first time that Silva has attacked HRF and its work in
"Human rights defenders cannot work where their lives are threatened. Some organizations refuse to work in certain countries because of this. HRF will not be ceasing its activities in
He added, "We do not know if the attacks on Ms. Fernandez and Mr. Herrera are linked to the incitements made by Mario Silva on Venezuelan television. However, in line with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Venezuelan government is obliged to condemn, investigate, and punish promptly and thoroughly attacks, threats, or intimidation of human rights defenders. The Venezuelan government must ensure that human rights defenders can carry out their legitimate activities without fear of reprisal and with the full cooperation of the authorities."
HRF is an international nonpartisan organization devoted to defending human rights in the American hemisphere. It centers its work on the twin concepts of freedom of self-determination and freedom from tyranny. These ideals include the belief that all human beings have the rights to speak freely, to associate with those of like mind, and to leave and enter their countries. Individuals in a free society must be accorded equal treatment and due process under law, and must have the opportunity to participate in the governments of their countries; HRF's ideals likewise find expression in the conviction that all human beings have the right to be free from arbitrary detainment or exile and from interference and coercion in matters of conscience. HRF's International Council includes former prisoners of conscience Vladimir Bukovsky, Palden Gyatso, Armando Valladares, Ramón J. Velásquez, Elie Wiesel, and Harry Wu.
