26 years old
Naomi Gabriela Arnaudez Ramos is a Venezuelan lawyer, women’s rights activist, and human rights defender. On the morning of May 23, 2025, unidentified state security agents broke into her home in Caracas and arbitrarily detained her without presenting a warrant. Following her arrest, she was the victim of an enforced disappearance for several days, a period during which her family was unable to obtain official information about her whereabouts or condition. Subsequently, authorities linked her to the so-called “Nodos” case—along with dozens of political leaders, activists, and members of civil society—accusing her of terrorism, criminal association, conspiracy with a foreign government, and treason. Her family, legal representatives, and various human rights organizations rejected the charges, arguing that they criminalized her legitimate work in defense of civil and political rights. Naomi remained deprived of liberty for more than 300 days before being released in February 2026. Throughout her detention, national and international organizations demanded respect for her due process guarantees and her immediate release. Although she regained her physical freedom, her case remains emblematic of the use of arbitrary detentions and politically motivated criminal proceedings against human rights defenders and civil society activists in Venezuela.