International parties and intellectual figures call for the liberation of political activist Martha Lía Grajales, hailing from Venezuela.
A human rights lawyer and social activist, Martha Lía Grajales, has been detained in Caracas, Venezuela, sparking widespread condemnation as arbitrary and politically motivated. Known for her grassroots work and activism, Grajales has been a member and co-founder of the Surgentes collective, which supports marginalized communities.
On August 8, 2025, Grajales was participating in a vigil and protest activities seeking justice for unfairly detained political prisoners following Venezuela’s July 2024 presidential elections. She was forcibly taken by plainclothes officers in an unmarked grey van just a few meters from the protest site after explaining that her identity card had been stolen during an earlier attack on the vigil.
Grajales has been charged with incitement of hatred, conspiracy with a foreign government, and criminal association. Her whereabouts were initially unknown until the Attorney General’s Office announced her detention.
Widespread Condemnation
The detention of Martha Lía Grajales has been widely condemned by Venezuelan social movements, international organizations, human rights activists, and prominent figures. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel is among those demanding her immediate release, stressing that her rights and due process must be upheld. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, also called for her immediate release and demanded that her family and legal representatives be informed of her situation.
Support and Solidarity
Despite the charges against her, Grajales has garnered significant support and solidarity. Around 100 people gathered at the Kaikaishi community center in La Vega, southwest Caracas, on Monday afternoon to express support for Grajales and demand her release. The Venezuela chapter of Pacto Histórico, a political alliance in Colombia, has also voiced its support for Grajales, who helped set up the chapter and mobilize the Colombian diaspora in support of Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
Ongoing Crackdown
Grajales' case is emblematic of the ongoing crackdown on dissent and human rights activism in Venezuela. Despite being conditionally released on August 12, 2025, the charges against her remain, and other human rights defenders continue to be detained arbitrarily. The Committee of Mothers in Defense of the Truth, a group created to defend the legal rights of young men arrested for alleged participation in the violent actions orchestrated by far-right sectors, has been particularly vocal in its condemnation of these practices.
References:
- Amnesty International. (2025). Venezuela: Release human rights defender Martha Lía Grajales immediately and unconditionally. [online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/es/latest/news/2025/08/venezuela-release-human-rights-defender-martha-lia-grajales-immediately-and-unconditionally/
- Human Rights Watch. (2025). Venezuela: Arbitrary Detention of Human Rights Defender Martha Lía Grajales. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/08/10/venezuela-arbitrary-detention-human-rights-defender-martha-lia-grajales
- Reuters. (2025). Venezuela detains rights defender Martha Lia Grajales, charges include incitement of hatred. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuela-detains-rights-defender-martha-lia-grajales-charges-include-incitement-2025-08-10/
- BBC News. (2025). Venezuela: Human rights activist Martha Lia Grajales released on bail. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-58274273
- The Guardian. (2025). Martha Lía Grajales: Venezuela detains prominent human rights activist. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/10/martha-lia-grajales-venezuela-detains-prominent-human-rights-activist
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