After more than 100 hours missing: Venezuelan regime imprisons human rights defender Rocío San Miguel and detains her in the Helicoide torture center

The legal team of Rocío San Miguel, president of the NGO Control Ciudadano, informed that the Venezuelan dictatorial regime decreed the activist's detention. She is currently being held in the Helicoide, a center known for its torture practices. This announcement comes more than 100 hours after the forced disappearance of the prominent human rights defender.

Juan González Taguaruco, a lawyer for San Miguel, also announced the release on parole of four of the five relatives of the human rights defender who were arbitrarily detained.

As explained by Taguaruco, both San Miguel's daughter, Miranda, and her father, Víctor Díaz Paruta, and two of the activist's brothers were released this Tuesday. However, the lawyer highlighted that precautionary measures were imposed on them, such as periodic presentations, prohibitions on leaving the country and restrictions on giving statements to the media. So far, the specific charges facing San Miguel's relatives have not been clarified.

San Miguel's ex-husband, Alejandro José Gonzales De Canales Plaza, a retired colonel, now faces charges of "revelation of political and military secrets concerning the security of the nation" and remains detained.

The accusations against the activist

San Miguel was detained on February 9 at the Maiquetía International Airport (Caracas), when she was trying to leave Venezuela. Venezuela's dictatorial authorities accuse her of "treason," "conspiracy," and "terrorism" in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro.

However, the human rights defender's defense team has denounced that it was a forced disappearance since the appropriate legal procedures for an arrest have not been followed.

Organizations raise their voices for the release of activist Rocío San Miguel

In an act of solidarity and firm defense of human rights, 204 civil society organizations issued a joint statement strongly repudiating the recent forced disappearance of the activist.

Through this statement, the organizations made an urgent call for the immediate release of Rocío San Miguel and urged the various bodies of the United Nations and the International Human Rights System to speak out forcefully and act in defense of fundamental principles.

"We urge the democratic governments and civic organizations of the world to condemn this unacceptable and grave conduct and to show solidarity with the immediate release of Rocío San Miguel," the statement reads.