Human rights Attorney Julio Henríquez, is the International Legal Coordinator of Foro Penal. In this role he aims to protect political prisoners in Venezuela, demand the rights of victims of human rights violations, request the conduction of investigations of international crimes, document systematic patterns of repression and strengthen the organizational capacity of this Human rights NGO. He also files petitions before international organizations, drafts reports and coordinates Foro Penal’s international chapters of Active Defenders
Refugee Freedom Program
With Refugee Freedom Program, Julio Henríquez prioritizes the filing of asylum applications on behalf of refugees whose cases can advance the rights of others. There is also a focus on academic research regarding forced migration of Venezuelans. Speaking engagements on human rights issues include:
– UN Security Council during an Arria-Formula meeting about Venezuela (New York, NY)
– Organization of American States before a panel of experts to evaluate if crimes against
humanity had been committed in Venezuela (Washington, D.C.)
– UN Human Rights Council speech about democracy and human rights in Venezuela
(Geneva, Switzerland)
– US Congressional Briefing on the rule of law in Venezuela (Washington, D.C.)
– USCIS Asylum Office, training to asylum officers on patterns of persecution of the
Venezuelan regime (Boston, MA)
– Inter-American Human Rights Commission hearings on multiple sessions (Washington,
D.C.; Denver, CO; Kingston, Jamaica)
