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RED VZLA Urgent Request to the OTP-3

REDACTED Page 179 of 190 On July 24, 2015, intelligence agents detained Fray Roa Contreras, the general director of the Venezuelan Federation of Liquor Sellers, a day after he said on CNN that the federation had requested a “dialogue” with President Maduro to address the “crisis” the industry was facing. The federation had previously criticized official policies, including rules that limit imports of raw materials that local producers need to make alcoholic beverages in Venezuela.795 On July 28, the media reported that Contreras had been charged with disseminating false information that “causes panic in the people or maintains them in a state of anxiety,” which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.796 A day later, Cabello, the National Assembly president, said on TV, based on information provided by a “patriotic informant,” that Contreras’ statements were part of a “plan to make the Venezuelan people lose its patience” prior to the legislative elections in December. The media reports said Contreras remains detained at the intelligence agency’s headquarters in Caracas.797 A few months before, on February 6, Carlos Rosales, President of the Venezuelan Hospitals and Clinics Association, had faced a similar situation, albeit much less severe. He was arrested in his house in Valencia by the SEBIN two days after he stated in TV that there was medical goods were scarce. He was released hours later.798 iv) Persecution against media owners, employees, journalists and media employees. In contrast to the relatively recent persecution against businesses’ owners and employees, GoV has been targeted media owners, employees and journalists since at least as early as April 2002. The IACHR has been denouncing multiple cases of threats, http://www.maduradas.com/arreaza-pidio-cero-tolerancia-a-comercios-que-permitan-colas-incluye- bicentenario-y-mercal/ [Accessed 27 October, 2015] 795 HRW. (2015) Venezuela: Critics Under Threat. Human Rights Watch. [Online] 6 August. Available from: https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/08/06/venezuela-critics-under-threat [Accessed 27 October, 2015] 796 HRW. (2015) Venezuela: Critics Under Threat 797 HRW. (2015) Venezuela: Critics Under Threat 798 ULTIMAS NOTICIAS. (2015) Liberan a Carlos Rosales tras tres horas de interrogatorio. Ultimas Noticias. [Online] 6 February. Available from: http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/sucesos/liberan-a-carlos-rosales-tras-tres- horas-de-interr.aspx [Accessed 27 October, 2015] NOTICIERO POPULAR. (2015) El Gobierno estrecha el cerco sobre las empresas privadas. [Online] 10 February. Available from: http://noticieropopular.com/el-gobierno-estrecha-el-cerco-sobre-las-empresas-privadas/ [Accessed 27 October, 2015]; GLOBOVISION. (2015) Liberan a doctor Carlos Rosales tras rendir declaraciones ante el Sebin. Globovision. [Online] 7 February. Available from: http://globovision.com/el-doctor- carlos-rosales-fue-arrestado-por-el-sebin-en-valencia/ [Accessed 27 October, 2015]

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