Deysi Peña Fajardo: A Photojournalist’s Fight for Freedom

Deysi Peña Fajardo, a renowned photojournalist, has been in custody for 45 days, accused of terrorism, incitement to hatred, and blocking public roads. Her arrest on August 2 by Miranda Police officers has raised concerns about the freedom of the press and the rights of journalists.

On that fateful morning, Deysi was detained at a gas station in Los Nuevos Teques, Miranda, without an arrest warrant. Her relatives were left in the dark for six hours, unaware of her whereabouts. The officers claimed that her arrest was due to the publication of audio-visual material and graphics on her mobile phone, which they seized.

As the head of audiovisual programs in the Carrizal Office of the Mayor, Deysi has worked with prominent media outlets in the Miranda entity. She is also a collaborator of the “Jesús de Nazareth” support group and a devoted mother of three young children who eagerly await her return home.

Deysi was presented before the 2nd Terrorism Control Judge, Carlos Liendo, on August 7, via telematics. She remains detained at the Tomás Lander Police Station in Ocumare del Tuy, Miranda state, over three hours away from her residence. Despite her family’s efforts to secure private counsel, she was assigned a public defender.

Key Facts:

• Deysi Peña Fajardo, a photojournalist, was arrested on August 2 without an arrest warrant.
• She was accused of terrorism, incitement to hatred, and blocking public roads.
• Deysi was detained for 45 days without access to private counsel.
• She remains at the Tomás Lander Police Station, over three hours away from her residence.