Humberto Prado Sifontes

Venezuela: Public official makes defamatory statements about human rights defender Dr Humberto Prado Sifontesposted on: 2013/04/09

On 8 April 2013, the Minister for the Prison Services, Ms Iris Valera, accused prominent human rights defender, Dr Humberto Prado Sifontes, of instigating violence within the country's prisons ahead of upcoming elections on 14 April.

Venezuela – Stigmatisation of human rights defender Dr Humberto Prado Sifontesposted on: 2010/11/25

Human rights defender, Dr Humberto Prado Sifontes, has been targeted in a number of statements made by public officials, including the President, and accused of instigating violent incidents within the prison system in Venezuela.

Further Information

Dr Humberto Prado Sifontes is a lawyer and the Director of the Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones– OVP (Venezuelan Prisons Observatory). The OVP documents cases of violations against, and promotes the rights of, persons in detention in Venezuela.

In 2009 Dr Humberto Prado Sifontes was the winner of the Canadian Embassy in Venezuela's first human rights award, and in 2004 he was elected an Ashoka Fellow. Front Line previously issued an appeal on 11 June 2010 regarding a campaign of intimidation and harassment against Dr Humberto Prado Sifontes as a result of his legitimate human rights work.

On 6 November 2010 the Nueva Prensa de Guyana newspaper reported on a campaign that had been launched on the previous day by the Ombudsman Ms Gabriela Ramírez.