Venezuelan Journalist Rory Branker Charged on Multiple Counts After Release

February 06, 2026 – Venezuela –

Venezuelan journalist Rory Branker, an editor and columnist for the digital outlet La Patilla, has been formally charged with five criminal offences just one day after his release from nearly a year of arbitrary detention, rights groups reported. Branker, 43, was freed on 4 February 2026 after spending 11 months and 15 days in custody following his arrest by the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) in Caracas on 20 February 2025, a move widely condemned as retaliation for his journalistic work.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Branker was summoned to court on 5 February and charged with at least five offences, including “financing terrorism” and “treason”, under Venezuelan law. As part of the conditions attached to the proceedings, he must regularly report to authorities — reportedly about once every 30 days — and is subject to restrictions on travel and communication with the press while his case continues. RSF and other press freedom organisations have called for the charges to be dropped permanently and for Branker’s freedom to be fully restored.

Branker’s detention had drawn widespread international concern, with unions such as the Venezuelan National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) and advocates decrying his arrest as arbitrary and politically motivated. He had been held without clear legal justification for months, and at times his whereabouts were unknown, prompting outcry from rights groups demanding information and his immediate release.

Although his release in early February was welcomed by press freedom advocates and organisations, including PEN International, which had campaigned on his behalf, the subsequent charges highlight ongoing challenges for journalists in Venezuela. In statements welcoming his release, groups stressed that Branker “should never have been detained” and warned that criminal proceedings and restrictions still threaten his ability to work and move freely.

His case underscores continuing concerns over press freedom in Venezuela, where journalists face harassment, arbitrary detention, and legal action tied to their reporting amid a broader environment of media repression. Rights groups warn that the ongoing criminalisation of journalism and the use of serious charges like terrorism and treason risk further chilling independent reporting and civic discourse in the country.

Reference –

https://rsf.org/en/venezuela-journalist-rory-branker-charged-five-counts-day-after-his-liberation

Venezuelan journalist Rory Branker charged on five counts day after he’s released