CAT/C/VEN/CO/3-4 (c) Ensure that the institutions entrusted with maintaining public safety are civilian in nature, as stipulated in article 332 of the State party’s Constitution, and amend any legislation, regulations and plans that authorize the participation of the military in the maintenance of public order except in exceptional situations, such as states of emergency, when the capacity of the police force has been overwhelmed. Acquiescence and complicity with pro-Government armed groups 13. The Committee is concerned about reports that protesters were subjected to a total of 437 attacks by pro-Government armed groups during the demonstrations of February to April 2014. Consistent reports indicate that many of these attacks were carried out with the complicity and acquiescence of law enforcement officers and have gone unpunished. The Committee regrets not having received any official information about investigations conducted and penalties imposed in relation to the attacks perpetrated by these groups, although it had requested such information in the list of issues (arts. 2, 12 and 16). The State party should: (a) Conduct prompt, thorough and impartial investigations of all attacks by pro-Government armed groups during the demonstrations and duly prosecute perpetrators and officials who were complicit in or allowed those acts to occur and, if they are found guilty, impose on them penalties proportionate to the gravity of their acts; (b) Take immediate steps to devise effective strategies to disarm, control and dismantle armed groups of civilians; (c) Restrict the performance of internal security functions to a duly trained civilian police force that adheres to relevant international standards and has sufficient resources to carry out its duties. Attacks on journalists and human rights defenders 14. The Committee is concerned about reports that there were 259 attacks, threats and cases of intimidation and harassment of journalists between January and April 2014. The Committee is also seriously concerned about the great number of attacks and cases of intimidation of human rights defenders that have gone unpunished. It regrets the lack of statistics on the number of complaints and convictions for threats and attacks on these groups and on measures taken to prevent such acts. The Committee is also deeply concerned about reports of public denigration of human rights defenders by high-level Government officials — including after the dialogue with the Committee — such as the attacks against Carlos Correa, Humberto Prado and Marino Alvarado by the president of the National Assembly, citing information provided by “patriot partners”. Such denigration increases the danger that human rights defenders may be exposed to intimidation by violent pro-Government groups (arts. 2, 12, 13 and 16). The Committee calls on the State party to refrain from discrediting the work of human rights defenders and to publicly acknowledge the essential watchdog role that they and journalists play as regards the fulfilment of obligations under the Convention, and urges it to: (a) Redouble its efforts to ensure the effective protection of human rights defenders and journalists against threats and attacks to which they may be exposed on account of their activities; (b) Ensure the prompt, thorough and effective investigation of all threats and attacks targeting human rights defenders and journalists, and ensure that those responsible are tried and punished in accordance with the gravity of their acts; 6 GE.14-24172