They demand the publication of the official list of released political prisoners

The Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) demanded this Monday that the State publish an official list of those considered political prisoners who have been released in recent daysafter having been detained in the context of protests against the official result of the presidential elections of July 28.

Through a press release, the director of the OVPHumberto Prado, requested the official list, in compliance with the right to information established in article 51 of the Constitution, “which ensures that every person has the right to submit requests to the authorities and receive timely responses.”

“There are many women, mothers and wives who have left their homes to fight for the freedom of their loved ones. Some spend entire nights on the streets, waiting for news, sleeping in undignified conditions while dreaming of their children’s return home,” he added.

#OVPDenuncia Mothers of political prisoners sleep on the floor waiting for their children’s freedom. https://t.co/TUILfXheCA

— Venezuelan Prisons Observatory (@oveprisiones) November 18, 2024

He urged the Ombudsman’s Office to file an action for the immediate release, without conditional measures and without restrictions, of all political prisoners.

“The freedom of political prisoners is not only an act of justice, but also a minimum reparation to those who should never have been behind bars because they are innocent. Let us not forget that more than 2,000 people, including adolescents, men and women, were imprisoned for exercising fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and association,” said Prado.

Releases of political prisoners

This weekend there were releases from prisons in the country, after a review – requested by the Public Ministry (MP, Prosecutor’s Office) – of the cases of detainees in the context of crisis after the elections of July 28, marked by numerous protests against the proclaimed re-election of Nicolás Maduro and police operations.

The NGO Foro Penal, which leads the defense of political prisoners in Venezuela, indicated on Sunday that it registered and verified the release of 131 people, who, according to the organization, had to go to court this Monday for the imposition of “substitute measures of his deprivation of liberty.”

However, the attorney general, Tarek William Saab, assured that between Friday afternoon and Saturday, 225 measures of freedom were “granted and executed” – about which he did not give details – to people detained after protests against the official result of the last elections.