The leadership of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and the Ibero-American Group of the International Association of Judges (IBA-IAJ) have sent an open letter to Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro expressing ‘our concern over the progressive dismantling of democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela.’ The authors go on to say: ‘The recent verdict in the case against Judge María Lourdes Afiuni, unsupported by evidence and after almost ten years of restrictions on her liberty, increases our alarm about the continuing and imminent threats to the independence of the Venezuelan judiciary.’
The letter is signed by IBAHRI Co-Chairs The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG and Anne Ramberg Dr jur hc together with IAJ President, Judge Rafael de Menezes, and Judge Francisco Silla. The open letter can be viewed and downloaded from the IBA website from the following link www.ibanet.org/Dismantling-of-democracy-and-the-rule-of-law-in-Venezuela.aspx