the case of Perkins Rocha

The lawyer Perkins Rochaadvisor to the Democratic Unitary Platform, He has been detained for 100 days in conditions that their relatives describe as kidnapping. His arrest was carried out without a court order

Lawyer Perkins Rocha, legal advisor of the Democratic Unitary Platform and close collaborator of María Corina Machado, has been detained for 100 days without access to his family

Detention without order and disappearance: the case of Perkins Rocha outrages the country

Perkins Rocha He was arrested without a court order. He remained missing for days before being presented in court in the early hours of the morning. At a hearing in which he was denied the right to private defense. 100 days after his arrest, his family and human rights organizations demand his release, describing the conditions of his arrest as a kidnapping and a flagrant violation of fundamental guarantees.

The impact of psychological torture on prisoners and their families: the case of Perkins Rocha

The arrest of the lawyer Rocha and the circumstances in which he has been held incommunicado for more than 100 days have highlighted a particularly painful aspect of arbitrary detention practices: the impact of psychological tortureboth in the detainee and in his loved ones. This type of torture, recognized by international organizations such asthe United Nationstranscends the physical plane and deeply affects emotional, mental and spiritual integrity.

Torture for the detainee

Psychological torture is defined as any intentional act that causes serious mental suffering by creating a state of anxiety, uncertainty or prolonged anguish. In the case of Perkins Rochatotal isolation from his family and lawyers represents an invisible but deeply destructive form of violence.

Forced isolation prevents the detainee from having a clear notion of his surroundings. Which can cause serious disorders such as disorientation, paranoia, insomnia, depression and even loss of sense of reality. This isolation also deprives the detainee of emotional support and human connection, crucial elements for maintaining psychological stability in situations of extreme vulnerability.

In the case of Rochathis situation is aggravated by his health condition, which could deteriorate further in the absence of adequate medical care. This uncertainty about their physical condition, combined with the lack of knowledge of what is happening outside their confinement environment, can be devastating, according to experts in human rights and prison psychology.

Torture for the family

Suffering is not limited to the relativesthe absence of information about the status of a detained loved one is a form of torture in itself. The wife of Rochaby reporting that she has not been able to see him or be certain of his life or health condition, shows the devastating impact that this situation has on the psyche of those who wait and suffer abroad.

The constant uncertainty about whether the detainee is alive or dead. If you have suffered abuse or if you are receiving basic medical care. This generates a level of stress that can lead to chronic anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. Family members are caught in an endless cycle of worry and blame, feeling powerless in the face of a system that denies them the right to protect their loved ones.

Furthermore, this forced separation breaks essential family ties and can emotionally destructure an entire family. Children, parents, siblings, and spouses of people detained in these conditions often face social stigmatization. Constant fear of retaliation and the emotional weight of not knowing how to act in the face of a judicial system that denies them answers.

The international legal framework

dUniversal Declaration of Human Rights established in its article 5. “No one will be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” In addition, he International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights reinforces this principle in its article 7, and the Istanbul Protocol includes in your definition of torture. Psychological suffering caused by intentional acts of state authorities or people in positions of power.

When a detainee is isolated without contact with his family or lawyers, and without access to medical examination, an act that violates these regulations is constituted. In turn, the family’s inability to exercise their right to receive information and verify the detainee’s situation becomes an extension of this cruel treatment.

Call to action

protest at the European Parliament, Madrid

Cases like that of Perkins Rocha They are not only a denunciation of the torture practices psychological attack against political opponents in Venezuela. It is also a reminder of how these actions violate the social fabric as a whole. Families and communities are deeply affected, creating an atmosphere of fear and hopelessness.

Human rights organizations have reiterated the urgency of guaranteeing access to detainees for family members and private defenders. Not only as a right, but as a basic humanitarian measure. In the context of the arrest of Rocha, There is a call for the international community to exert pressure. To stop this cruel and degrading treatment, remembering that every day without action perpetuates the suffering of those involved.

“My father is a missing person”: Santiago Rocha takes the case of Perkins Rocha to international organizations

María Costanza de Rocha y Santiago

—How many international organizations have you attended?

—I have met with the International Observatory of Lawyers at Risk, the OAS, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Spanish Bar Association. Very soon I will travel to the United States, where different Human Rights organizations will receive me. I also have a visit to the International Red Cross pending.

—Can you give me an overview of your international meetings?

—In all of them, except in Court because it is a more formal process, statements have been issued regarding my father’s condition and his arbitrary detention. The organizations have shown their support and are firm in supporting the cause.

—How is your mother and your family in general?

—For everyone it has been very hard, painful, but we remain strong and united, each one contributing to this fight. My paternal grandmother, who is now an elderly woman, is very distressed. I miss my dad every day. It’s understandable: in addition to being his only son, my dad has always been a good son.

—What has this experience left you?

—The teaching of the value of family and freedom as very precious assets. On this path I have found the feeling of solidarity, friendship and deep reflections on justice.

Santiago Rocha concludes by highlighting the importance of not giving up in this fight, while He reiterates his gratitude to those who have supported him in his mission to seek justice for his father, Perkins Rocha.

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