Comité de Familiares de las Victímas – COFAVIC
COFAVIC is a Venezuelan non-governmental organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of human rights. The organization was founded in 1989, following a time of social instability in Venezuela which led to a series of demonstrations around the country and clashes with the State security apparatus, resulting in more than 600 people killed. Due to their work, COFAVIC and members of the organization have been targets of attacks, threats, smear campaigns, monitoring and surveillance, as well as judicial harassment.
HRDs have been working under restrictive policies for many years: the Maduro administration has continued the work begun by Chávez in restricting civil space and delegitimising HRDs, repeatedly accusing them of undermining the Venezuelan democracy with the alleged collaboration of the United States. HRDs are discredited and criminalised by state-controlled media (television, radio, print media) on a weekly basis.
The authorities have systematically undermined freedom of expression, which has not only affected HRDs and other critical voices, but has also created a more restrictive media environment. Indeed, HRDs who publicly speak out about human rights violations, including at the Inter-American Court for Human Rights, have also been subjected to restrictions in the private sphere, with surveillance of their email and communication being commonplace.
