Espacio Público, an NGO from Venezuela, announced that its director, Carlos Correa, was released from detention in the early hours of January 16.
Correa, a prominent journalist and human rights activist, had been taken by unidentified hooded men on January 7, in what was qualified by Espacio Público as a “forced disappearance.”
Announcing his release on X, the organization thanked all the people, organizations and governments that “joined the voice for liberation.”
“We continue to defend human dignity,” the statement read.
According to the National Syndicate of Press Workers (SNTP), Correa was released on a regime of presentation, meaning that he will have to appear before a court periodically.
“He was detained for nine days, but he should have never been because he is an activist and a man of integrity,” the SNTP said on X.
Correa’s “Forced Disappearance”
Espacio Público reported Correa’s disappearance on the same day that seven opposition figures were detained in the run up to Maduro’s presidential inauguration on January 10.
Among the others detained was ex-presidential candidate Enrique Márquez, and Rafael Tudares, the son-in-law of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia.
Correa’s detention caused international concern. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned his forced disappearance and urged for his release in a joint statement with six other organizations. Colombian President Gustavo Petro explained that because of Correa’s detention, he could not attend President Maduro’s inauguration on January 10.
This Wednesday afternoon Correa’s wife, professor Maribel Calderín, announced that the activist had been presented before a terrorism court, but had not been informed what criminal charges were brought against him.
In a video posted by Espacio Público, Calderín said that prosecutor Alirio Mendoza explained to her that Correa “was presented to the court on January 9 with public defense” but he “could not give information about where Carlos was located, much less explain the specifics of the crimes he is charged with.”
Closing civic space and tightening press freedom
Since the July 28, 2024 presidential election, targeting human rights activists, journalists and political figures has been central to President Nicolás Maduro’s repression strategy.
According to independent news outlet Caracas Chronicles, 221 politicians, 23 journalists and six human rights activists have been detained since the presidential election.
From its establishment in 2002, Espacio Público has been central in the conservation of democratic values in Venezuela, particularly in defending freedom of expression. The NGO’s activities range from the defense of legal cases regarding access to information to data collection about the media ecosystem in Venezuela, especially recording human rights abuses against independent media.
As the Maduro regime consolidated its autocratic rule by swearing-in for a third term despite providing no proof of his victory in the election, the work of activists like Correa and organizations like Espacio Público continues to be vital to preserve civic space.
