International entities and intellectual figures, including those from Venezuela, call for the liberation of activist Martha Lía Grajales
Venezuelan Human Rights Activist Martha Liá Grajales Detained and Charged
Martha Liá Grajales, a prominent Venezuelan human rights lawyer and activist, was detained on August 8, 2025, following her participation in a solidarity protest in Caracas. The news has sparked widespread concern and mobilization from grassroots movements, human rights organizations, and international bodies.
Grajales, a member of the human rights collective Surgentes, was stopped at a police checkpoint, where she reported her ID had been stolen by armed colectivos. She was then forcibly taken by an unmarked police vehicle and held incommunicado for three days, with her whereabouts unknown to her family and supporters.
On August 11, the Venezuelan Attorney General’s Office charged Grajales with incitement to hatred, conspiracy with a foreign government, and criminal association. The prosecutor’s office described the charges as related to actions against Venezuelan institutions and national peace but provided no detailed evidence publicly. Despite these charges, she was released the next day under precautionary measures, although official investigations reportedly continue.
The detention and charges against Grajales have been met with widespread condemnation. Over 100 people gathered at the Kaikaishi community center in La Vega, southwest Caracas, to express support for Grajales and demand her release. Numerous Venezuelan and international organizations have also condemned her arbitrary detention as a form of repression targeting human rights defenders. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and prominent figures have signed petitions calling for her immediate release and respect for her due process rights.
Government-aligned sources have accused Grajales of being a divisive infiltrator within the Chavista movement and alleged links to opposition groups, aiming to discredit her activism. However, her supporters emphasize her longstanding grassroots work defending working-class communities and political prisoners in Venezuela.
This case highlights ongoing challenges facing human rights activism in Venezuela in mid-2025. It is seen as part of a wider pattern of repression against human rights defenders post-2024 election protests. The Ombudsman’s Office has condemned the acts of violence against activists and urged victims to file formal complaints with the Attorney General’s Office to begin investigations and determine responsibility for the assaults.
In addition to the support from grassroots movements and human rights organizations, Grajales has received backing from prominent figures and organizations. The Venezuela chapter of Pacto Histórico, the coalition supporting Colombian President Gustavo Petro, has voiced its backing for Grajales, who helped set up the chapter and mobilize the Colombian diaspora in support of Petro. Members of the Unidos San Agustín Convive Cooperative were present at the demonstration calling for Grajales' release.
The committee created to defend the legal rights of young men arrested for alleged participation in the violent actions orchestrated by far-right sectors following the July 28, 2024, presidential election has also mobilized to support Grajales. The committee denounced an attack allegedly carried out by "para-police" groups during a Tuesday vigil before the Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) in Caracas, where approximately 50 mothers and activists had gathered.
As the investigation into Grajales' case continues, her supporters remain vigilant and committed to ensuring her rights are respected and her due process is upheld. The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges facing human rights activists in Venezuela.
- The detention and subsequent charges against Martha Liá Grajales, a Venezuelan human rights activist, have sparked outrage within the general-news arena, with numerous organizations condemning her arrest as a form of repression against human rights defenders.
- Amidst the ongoing investigation into Grajales' case, various groups, including grassroots movements, human rights organizations, and political coalitions such as Pacto Histórico, have voiced their support for her, emphasizing the importance of upholding her due process rights in the realm of politics.
