Detained adolescents may suffer irreparable damage to their mental health

The Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) warned that the 158 adolescents (130 males and 28 females), between 14 and 17 years old, who were arbitrarily detained during post-election protests in Venezuela They may suffer irreparable damage to their mental health due to the inhumane conditions of confinement.

So far, 86 of the teenagers arrested in post-election protests have been released, while the rest remain behind bars. Of this group, at least eight of the youths held at the headquarters of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB), known as Zone 7 in Caracas, were victims of sexual abuse, torture with electric shocks and asphyxiation, according to complaints from their relatives.

The teenagers were detained alongside adults, many of whom were social prisoners, and have not had access to a trusted lawyer and are accused of serious crimes such as terrorism.

The OVP noted that These young people have been humiliated and mistreated without understanding how actions such as a joke on social media, walking near a protest or simply expressing their discontent with the situation in the country have cost them their freedom.

“This raises an even greater concern: how can the psychological damage caused to these young people be repaired? It is well known that under conditions of imprisonment there are various factors that affect mental health.and exposure to risk situations due to the collapse of the prison system in Venezuela aggravates its consequences,” the observatory warned.

What is the risk faced by teenagers arrested in post-election protests?

The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that adolescence is a crucial stage for social and emotional development, and it is vital that adolescents have a protective environment in their family, school and community.

Adolescents subjected to violence or incarceration may develop mental disorders such as behavioral changes, panic attacks, low self-esteem, stress, anxiety, depression, psychosis and even suicide. All this without considering the profound damage they are causing to some detainees with special conditions such as autism, according to psychologists consulted by the OVP.

“It is a fact that the mental damage caused to these 158 adolescents detained in post-election protests is deep and irreversible, and that is why we at the OVP demand the immediate cessation of these unacceptable acts that violate the most basic principles of international humanitarian law. The release of these young people must be immediate and without restrictions, and the State must make full reparation for the damage caused, both to those arbitrarily detained and to their families,” the observatory indicated.