Venezuelan and International Bodies, along with Intellectuals, Urge for the Liberation of Activist Martha Lía Grajales
Martha Lía Grajales, a prominent Venezuelan human rights lawyer, has found herself at the centre of a contentious legal battle with the Venezuelan authorities. Her outspoken criticism of the government’s human rights violations has led to multiple detentions, often under charges such as “incitement,” “public disorder,” or more politically motivated allegations.
On August 11, 2025, Grajales was detained in Caracas, an incident that was met with international condemnation and concern from human rights organizations. The details of her detention are varied, but reports suggest that she has experienced restrictions on her legal work, limited communication with the outside world during custody, and pressures to abandon her activism.
Condemnation and Calls for Action
The Ombudsman's Office reaffirmed calls for respect for human rights, condemning the "acts of violence" against Grajales. Venezuela's Ombudsman's Office urged the victims to file a formal complaint with the Attorney General's Office. The Attorney General's Office, in a statement on Monday afternoon, announced that Grajales was charged with incitement of hatred, conspiracy with a foreign government, and criminal association.
In response to her detention, around 100 people gathered at the Kaikaishi community centre in La Vega, southwest Caracas, to express their support for Grajales and demand her release. Notable figures such as Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Miguel Mazzeo, Michael Lowy, and Alba Carosio were among the 800 signatories of an online petition for her release, which gathered over 800 signatures in under 48 hours.
Araña Feminista, Frente Cultural de Izquierda, and Plan Pueblo a Pueblo voiced their support for Grajales and the defence of her rights. The Venezuela chapter of Pacto Histórico, supporting Colombian President Gustavo Petro, also voiced its backing for Grajales.
Ongoing Activism
Despite these challenges, Grajales continues to advocate for human rights and the rule of law in Venezuela. She works to document and expose abuses committed by state forces, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and suppression of freedom of expression. Grajales participates in national and international forums to bring attention to the human rights crisis in Venezuela.
Grajales also supports victims of human rights violations through legal assistance, and often calls on the international community to increase pressure on Venezuelan authorities for accountability and reform.
Background
Grajales helped found the La Vega organization to defend five young men from the neighbourhood who were arrested in 2021 during a large-scale police operation. 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, was instrumental in the release of the five men. The precedent established by the release of the young men from La Vega later secured the freedom of another 15 men from the neighbourhood.
Georgina Castillo, a member of the La Vega Committee for the Defense of People's Rights, praised Grajales' work in defence of Venezuelan working-class communities. The mothers' committee expressed its desire to meet with TSJ officials and expedite the remaining cases. The committee mobilized to defend the innocence of the five men, exposing irregularities and delays in the judicial process. Four of the five men were freed in 2023, while the fifth passed away after suffering health complications in prison.
Antonio González Plessmann, Grajales' husband and fellow member of Surgentes, has visited multiple detention facilities in Caracas since Friday but has not been able to locate her. Members of the Unidos San Agustín Convive Cooperative, which Grajales and Surgentes founded and supported, were present at the demonstration calling for Grajales' release.
The Committee of Mothers in Defense of the Truth organized a demonstration in front of the United Nations headquarters on Friday, following a Tuesday vigil before the Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) in Caracas. The committee denounced an attack allegedly carried out by "para-police" groups during the Tuesday vigil before the TSJ. Attorney General Tarek William Saab stated that he requested the Supreme Court to sign off on the release of 2000 prisoners so they can face trial outside detention, but only 1767 cases have been processed.
As Grajales' case continues to unfold, her work and activism remain a beacon of hope for many in Venezuela who seek justice and respect for human rights.
The international community expressed their support for Martha Lía Grajales, following her August 11, 2025, detention in Caracas, with outcry from human rights organizations and condemnation of her "acts of violence" by the Ombudsman's Office. Notable figures and organizations, such as Araña Feminista, Frente Cultural de Izquierda, Plan Pueblo a Pueblo, and Venezuela's chapter of Pacto Histórico, voiced their backing for Grajales and her activism in general-news topics, including politics and crime-and-justice. Additionally, initiatives like the Committee of Mothers in Defense of the Truth organized demonstrations in solidarity with Grajales, calling for her release and seeking justice for her continued advocacy for human rights and the rule of law in Venezuela.
