The U.S. State Department launched Without Just Cause Jan. 11, a campaign to free those imprisoned worldwide who exercised their fundamental human rights to freedom of opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and association.
The initiative reflects input from political prisoner advocates, family members and nongovernmental organizations, according to a State Department news release.
“Building on our commitment at the first #SummitForDemocracy, today we launch the #WithoutJustCause initiative to secure the release of political prisoners. We call on governments worldwide to free those detained for peacefully exercising their human rights,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a post on Twitter.
The initiative highlights the stories of 16 people and families, according to a description of the initiative. Many have been subjected to abuse and torture and denied fair if any, trial — stories from a monk in Tibet sentenced to 10 years for peaceful advocacy, an activist from Belarus for her activism on free and fair elections, journalists from across the globe, peaceful protestors in Iran and a human rights lawyer from Tajikistan.
The stories include that of Emirlendris Benítez, a 40-year-old Venezuelan mother and businessperson detained since August 2018. Benítez has suffered horrific abuse and tragedy, the description reported. Due to physical abuse, Benítez, pregnant at the time she was arrested, lost her child while incarcerated. In August 2022, Benítez was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
