Penal Forum counts 1,793 political prisoners in Venezuela

The non-governmental organization Foro Penal counts 1,793 political prisoners in Venezuela, of which 1,659 were arrested since July 29, the day after the presidential elections in Venezuela, in which the The National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Nicolás Maduro as president-elect and the opposition denounces fraud.

In a post made on social media by Gonzalo Himiob, vice president of the NGO, some characteristics of the people who have been arrested for showing their opposition to the government of Nicolás Maduro can be detailed.

According to the details released, 1,568 prisoners are men and 225 are women. In addition, there are 1,636 civilians in the group and 157 military personnel.

The Criminal Forum also said that 1,734 are adults and 59 are adolescents, aged between 14 and 17 years.

Penal Forum sends list of detainees to the OAS

Politically motivated arrests in Venezuela have reached more than 17,000 since 2014, according to information shared by the organization last August. The list was sent to the Organization of American States for verification and certification.

International institutions have demanded the release of all political prisoners, as they defend the right to protest and freedom of expression. However, a wave of persecution has been unleashed in the country against those who expressed ideals contrary to Chavismo.

Those in prison face human rights violations due to the conditions in which they are held or the treatment they receive from security officials.