[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"eJwry0wtL9YvA5F6iVmJFTplSAK5-SmlOakA-D8NyQ","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__303449__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"303449","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/303449","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__303449__en","pager_element":0}}},"csp":{"nonce":"-GEG64YbMHbsoHKbrcTH6A"},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"bc8921424f39d39c64af84232b603fadae46f840a8176c1b2436a5ee00791ac5"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":[{"rel":"stylesheet","media":"all","href":"\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_1447Lh-a8xu4ucB5uW8di0slMymkwgiwmi6LAjlHUY8.css?delta=0\u0026language=en\u0026theme=hrw_design\u0026include=eJxLzi9K1U8pKi1IzNFLzEqs0CnLTC0v1geTern5KaU5qQDy8w2e"}]},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_7GbWztuBweZEbeVKvCVvKTpgTEEPI7Neswq3falsXOA.js?scope=footer\u0026delta=0\u0026language=en\u0026theme=hrw_design\u0026include=eJwry0wtL9YvA5F6iVmJFQA22wZe"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__303449__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__303449__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EOn May 4, the general commander of the Bolivarian National Guard, Antonio Benavides Torres, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.noticias24carabobo.com\/plan-zamora-carabobo-paz\/?utm_source=dlvr.it\u0026amp;utm_medium=twitter\u0022\u003Estated\u003C\/a\u003E that a special operation ordered by President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro would be carried out to prosecute, in military courts, civilians who had been detained two days earlier during protests in Carabobo state. The operation is part of the \u201cZamora Plan,\u201d an \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.avn.info.ve\/contenido\/ejercicio-c%C3%ADvico-militar-zamora-200-fortalece-uni%C3%B3n-entre-fanb-y-pueblo-venezolano\u0022\u003Einitiative\u003C\/a\u003E meant to address \u201cinternal and external attacks that threaten the country\u2019s peace and sovereignty.\u201d (For background on the Zamora Plan, with links to official sources, check out \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/w2.ucab.edu.ve\/tl_files\/CDH\/imagenes\/Epu%20Vzla%202016\/Para%20entender%20el%20Plan%20Zamora.pdf\u0022\u003Ethis\u003C\/a\u003E outline prepared by the Human Rights Center of the Andr\u00e9s Bello Catholic University in Caracas).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBenavides Torres \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.derechos.org.ve\/actualidad\/plan-zamora-escala-uso-de-justicia-militar-contra-civiles?utm_content=buffer020af\u0026amp;utm_medium=social\u0026amp;utm_source=twitter.com\u0026amp;utm_campaign=buffer\u0022\u003Eclaimed\u003C\/a\u003E 43 people had been \u201cinvolved in serious crimes against the public order, such as looting, rebellion, and robbery and attack to a sentinel.\u201d Francisco Ameliach, the governor of Carabobo who belongs to President Maduro\u2019s political party, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/AmeliachPSUV\/status\/860223339956236288\u0022\u003Etweeted\u003C\/a\u003E that \u201cmore than 70 hooligans\u201d had been detained and taken before military courts, and authorities were \u201cin search of intellectual authors and collaborators.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOn May 5, the interior and justice minister, N\u00e9stor Luis Reverol, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/NestorReverol\/status\/860543346028294146\u0022\u003Etweeted\u003C\/a\u003E that \u201cmilitary courts will be in charge of all investigations that are necessary of these TERRORISTS hired by the right\u201d (caps in the original).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThese actions occur days after Attorney General Luisa Ortega D\u00edaz publicly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/venezuelan-attorney-general-luisa-ortega-signals-break-with-president-nicolas-maduro-1490974004\u0022\u003Ecriticized\u003C\/a\u003E policies by the Maduro administration and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.talcualdigital.com\/Nota\/141933\/luisa-ortega-diaz-recuerda-que-la-accion-penal-corresponde-al-ministerio-publico\u0022\u003Erequested\u003C\/a\u003E courts to release 38 people detained by the National Guard in Nueva Esparta, arguing that the police report on their detention did not specify why they had been detained.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ELocal human rights groups have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.derechos.org.ve\/actualidad\/plan-zamora-escala-uso-de-justicia-militar-contra-civiles?utm_content=buffer020af\u0026amp;utm_medium=social\u0026amp;utm_source=twitter.com\u0026amp;utm_campaign=buffer\u0022\u003Econfirmed\u003C\/a\u003E that \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/runrun.es\/nacional\/venezuela-2\/308350\/proiuris-exigimos-que-cese-inmediatamente-el-procesamiento-de-civiles-en-la-jurisdiccion-penal-militar.html\u0022\u003Edozens\u003C\/a\u003E of civilians have been prosecuted by military courts. In one case, at least 19 were prosecuted days ago for \u201crebellion\u201d and \u201ccontempt.\u201d The military court rejected the defense\u2019s argument that they did not have jurisdiction to try civilians. Armed military officials stood guard inside the courtroom.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth Venezuelan and international law provide that civilians should not be prosecuted before military courts. The Venezuelan Constitution, in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.psuv.org.ve\/constitucion\/titulo5-capitulo3\/\u0022\u003Earticle 261\u003C\/a\u003E, limits military jurisdiction to crimes that are of a military nature. Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Venezuela ratified in 1978, guarantees the right to a timely trial by a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal. In 2015, the Human Rights Committee, the expert body charged with interpreting the ICCPR, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/tbinternet.ohchr.org\/_layouts\/TreatyBodyExternal\/Countries.aspx?CountryCode=VEN\u0026amp;Lang=EN\u0022\u003Eexpressed\u003C\/a\u003E concern that military courts in Venezuela are competent to try civilians under certain circumstances and called on the Venezuelan government to \u201cadopt the necessary measures to prohibit military courts from trying civilians.\u201d Similarly, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.corteidh.or.cr\/docs\/casos\/articulos\/Seriec_69_esp.pdf\u0022\u003Eruled\u003C\/a\u003E that military courts should not try civilians.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETo see OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro\u2019s statement on the use of military courts against civilians, click\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.oas.org\/en\/media_center\/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-039\/17\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022twitter-tweet\u0022 data-cards=\u0022hidden\u0022 data-lang=\u0022en\u0022\u003E\n\t\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022 lang=\u0022es\u0022 xml:lang=\u0022es\u0022\u003E\u00a1En Carabobo! Plan Zamora ha capturado a m\u00e1s de 70 terroristas de la derecha \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/t.co\/hg0bLHQEwi\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/t.co\/hg0bLHQEwi\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/6Mayo?src=hash\u0022\u003E#6Mayo\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/t.co\/n2BQzx8plx\u0022\u003Epic.twitter.com\/n2BQzx8plx\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\t\u2014 Con el Mazo Dando (@ConElMazoDando) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/ConElMazoDando\/status\/861043961712058368\u0022\u003EMay 7, 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null},{"command":"insert","method":"prepend","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__303449__en","data":"","settings":null}]