Penal Forum counts 1,808 political prisoners in Venezuela
The NGO Foro Penal counted 1,808 political prisoners in Venezuela as of Wednesday. Gonzalo Himiob, vice president of the organization, said that of the total, 1,673 were arrested after 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 denounced fraud.
According to details posted on social media, 1,582 prisoners are men and 226 are women. In addition, there are 1,651 civilians in the group and 157 military personnel.
The Criminal Forum also said that 1,748 are adults and 60 are adolescentsbetween the ages of 14 and 17. To date, 150 people have been convicted.
Penal Forum sends list of detainees to the OAS
Politically motivated arrests in Venezuela have risen to more than 17,000 since 2014, according to information shared by the organization in August. list was sent to the Organization of American States for verification and certification.
International organizations 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.
Independent journalism needs the support of its readers to continue and ensure that uncomfortable news that they don’t want you to read remains within your reach. Today, with your support, we will continue working hard for censorship-free journalism!