A/HRC/45/CRP.11 237. Security Zones: The November 2014 Organic Law on Security of the Nation610 establishes the security zones. The President may declare these as the circumstances require. The law imposes penalties of between five and ten years for anyone who “organizes, sustains or instigates activities within security zones, which are intended to disturb or affect the organization and operation of military installations, public services, basic industries and companies or social and economic life of the country”.611 At the time of writing, according to the NGO Control Ciudadano, over 30 per cent of the country was within a designated security zone.612 President Maduro issued a further decree during the National Constituent Assembly elections in July 2017 which declared Temporary Protection Zones “for the free exercise of the right to vote” at National Electoral Council facilities across the country. 613 The zones were in force from 21 July to 1 August 2017, with the Ministry of Defence responsible for protecting and safeguarding them. Disruption of the electoral process was made punishable with five to ten years’ imprisonment.614 238. Great Mission Peace Quadrants:615 According to official documents, the peace quadrants were enacted in July 2018, to address the structural, institutional and situational causes of insecurity and violence. They are imposed on certain areas based on population density, index of criminality and terrain topography. In total, over 2,000 peace quadrants have been put in place at the time of writing.616 At the strategic level, they are coordinated by the President, the Vice President and Ministers; at the tactical level, by military structures, through the CEOFANB and a national commissioner of peace quadrants; and at the operational level, by state commanders of the peace quadrants. 617 Within the quadrants, security forces implement citizen security actions involving prevention, risk management and promotion of the civic, military and police actions for the security and defence of the nation.618 According to the Government, the Peace Quadrant model has helped to reduce crime rates.619 239. Other Localized State Security and Vigilance Groups: The Government began establishing local community groups before 2014 and has continued since. The groups exert control and vigilance over communities, with both political and security objectives. Presidential Decree No. 2323 of 13 May 2016 authorizes these groups,620 to carry out vigilance to maintain public order and guarantee security and sovereignty in the country, 621 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 64 Presidential Decree No. 1473, Ley Orgánica de Seguridad de la Nación (hereinafter 2014 Organic Security Law), Published in Official Gazette No. 6156, 19 November 2014, art. 50, available at: http://www.controlciudadano.org/web/wp-content/uploads/Ley-Org%C3%A1nica-de-Seguridad-dela-Naci%C3%B3n.pdf. Ibid., art. 56. See Control Ciudadano, available at: https://www.controlciudadano.org/noticias/que-son-las-zonasde-seguridad-en-venezuela. See also the case of Gloria Tobon, below. Presidential Decree No. 2992, 19 July 2017, published in Official Gazette No. 6.317, 19 July 2017, available at: https://app.vlex.com/#search/jurisdiction:VE/2992/WW/vid/698292529/graphical_version Ibid., art. 8. See news on the peace quadrants here http://www.mpprijp.gob.ve/wpcontent/uploads/2019/07/CUADRANTES_DE_PAZ.pdf and here https://www.vtv.gob.ve/tag/cuadrantes-de-paz/. See YouTube Video, Luigino Bracci Roa, Cadena completa: Nicolás Maduro activa seis líneas para combatir la inseguridad, 18 January 2017, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZIia4O6X60. The President announced that those participating in the central directorate would by the PNB, the SEBIN, the UBCh and the Frente Francisco de Miranda (minute 54.19). Ministry of the Interior, Gran Misión Cuadrantes de Paz, p. 6, available at: http://www.mpprijp.gob.ve/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CUADRANTES_DE_PAZ.pdf. Ibid., p. 7. See Multimedio VTV, Ministro Reverol: Incidencia delictiva arrojó una disminución de 38,3 por ciento, 13 January 2020, video on file with the Mission. The decree referred specifically to the Comités Locales de Abastecimiento y Distribución (CLAP), a los Consejos Comunales y demás organizaciones de base del Poder Popular (art. 9). Presidential Decree No. 2323, published in Official Gazette No. 6227, 13 May 2016, art. 2.9, available at: https://pandectasdigital.blogspot.com/2016/05/decreto-n-2323-de-fecha-13-de-mayode.html.