The Venezuelan Judicial Guide (Guía Judicial de Venezuela), published on the Website of the College of Lawyers of Caracas (Colegio de Abogados de Caracas) describes Nora Isabel Pérez Urbano as a judge assigned to the Civil, Commercial, Transit, Agricultural, Labour and Juvenile Court of First Instance (Juzgado de Primera Instancia en lo Civil, Mercantil, Tránsito, Agrario, Trabajo y Menores) in Puerto Cabello, Carabobo (n.d.). On 27 April 2000, the Gaceta Oficial de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela announced Pérez's appointment as the "second substitute" (segundo suplente) in the court where she was working. However, the document did not identify the court to which she had been appointed.

In two reports published in 2001, Pérez is described as a "provisional judge" (juez provisional) in the Puerto Cabello Court of First Instance (Venezuela 18 May 2001; ibid. 15 Mar. 2001). According to the Andean Commission of Jurists (Comisión Andina de Juristas, CAJ), only 10.3 per cent of judges in Venezuela occupy their position on a permanent basis (Mar. 2003). All others are considered provisional post-holders (ibid.).

No mention of whether Pérez has been subjected to threats, harassment or corruption accusations by supporters of President Hugo Chávez could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, a number of reports refer to the intimidation of judges by the president or his supporters. Examples follow.

In July 2002, Alejandro Rebolledo, a Caracas-based judge, claimed that he had been repeatedly threatened by "radical pro-Chávez groups" (grupos radicales chavistas) hoping to secure a ruling in favour of an individual detained because of his alleged role in the killing of anti-Chávez demonstrators on 11 April 2002 (CAJ July 2002).

Following an August 2002 ruling by the Supreme Court to dismiss charges against four military officers accused of participating in an attempted coup d'état, the president "responded to the verdict by announcing that the judges responsible for the vote would be investigated for drunkenness and falsifying documents" (HRW 2003; see also IBA 7 Mar. 2003).

In December 2002, eight of the Supreme Court judges who had voted to dismiss charges against the military officers issued a statement alleging that they were the victims of constant intimidation and harassment (El Universal 11 Dec. 2002). They further stated that they would "reduce their activities to a minimum" (reducen al mínimo sus actividades) as a protest against the intimidation (Reforma 10 Dec. 2002).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Colegio de Abogados de Caracas. n.d. "Guía judicial de Venezuela." http://www.justicia.net/servicios/guia/index.php [Accessed 20 June 2003]

Comisión Andina de Juristas (CAJ). March 2003. Cronología Andina. "Venezuela-Marzo 2003." http://www.cajpe.org.pe/ [Accessed 19 June 2003]

_____. July 2002. Cronología Andina. "Venezuela-Julio 2002." http://www.cajpe.org.pe/ [Accessed 19 June 2003]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 2003. Human Rights Watch World Report 2003. http://www.hrw.org/wr2k3/americas10.html [Accessed 19 June 2003]

International Bar Association (IBA). 7 March 2003. Venezuela: Un informe sobre la situación del sistema de justicia, enero 12-18 del 2003." http://www.ibanet.org/pdf/HRIVenezuelaReport_0303.pdf [Accessed 19 June 2003]

Reforma [Mexico City]. 10 December 2002. "Denuncian acoso jueces venezolanos." http://www.reforma.com/internacional/articulo/252661/ [Accessed 20 June 2003]

El Universal [Caracas]. 11 December 2002. "Jueces perseguidos no votarán este Miércoles." http://archivo.eluniversal.com/2002/12/11/11110CC.shtml. [Accessed 23 June 2003]

Venezuela. 18 May 2001. Tribunal Supremo de Justicia. Sala Constitucional. 191º y 142º. http://www.tsj.gov.ve/decisiones/scon/mayo/805-180501-00-2769.htm [Accessed 17 June 2003]

_____. 15 March 2001. Juzgado Primero de primera Instancia en lo Civil, Mercantil, Agrario, Tránsito y Trabajo del Municipio Puerto Cabello de la Circunscripción Judicial del Estado Carabobo. Expediente No. 13.208. http://www.ucv.ve/ftproot/dast/leyes/leyes1.htm [Accessed 19 June 2003]

_____. 27 April 2000. Gaceta Oficial de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela [Caracas]. No. 36.939. "Comisión de Funcionamiento y Reestructuración del Sistema Judicial." http://www.tsj.gov.ve/gaceta/abril/270400/270400-36939-01.html [Accessed 23 June 2003]

IRB databases

Unsuccessful attempts to contact Nora Isabel Pérez Urbano

Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International

Comisión Andina de Juristas (CAJ). Cronología Andina. "Venezuela." Jan. 2000-May 2003

La Costa [Valencia]

Defensoria del Pueblo

Human Rights Watch

Programa Venezolano de Educación-Acción en Derechos Humanos (PROVEA)

Tribunal Suprema de Justicia de Venezuela

El Universal [Caracas]