The non-governmental organization Foro Penal, which provides legal assistance to victims of arbitrary detentions in Venezuela, presented a report that reveals that almost 16,000 people have been detained for political reasons in the country since 2014. According to the document, 286 people remain political prisoners in Venezuela as of today, including 20 women and 154 members of the military.
Alfredo Romero, chairman of Foro Penal, explained that this figure represents a historical record of political repression in Venezuela, and denounced the Nicolás Maduro regime for using political prisoners as “bargaining chips” to obtain political or economic benefits. Romero demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners while recalling that only 156 people of the almost 16,000 detainees have reached a conviction.
The report prepared by Foro Penal also reveals that 90% of the arrests occurred without a Court order and that 70% of the detainees were subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. It also points out that 60% of political prisoners are civilians tried by military courts, in violation of the principle of the natural judge and due process.
In 21 years of existence, Foro Penal has become a benchmark in the defense of human rights in Venezuela, which has been recognized by the Organization of American States (OAS) through the certification of the data provided by the organization and by bringing the complaints before the International Criminal Court. The organization has more than 5,000 volunteer activists and a presence in 30 cities around the world.
Foro Penal has also participated in the preparation of the preliminary report on the crisis of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the region, presented by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in April 2019. The report documents the serious violations of human rights suffered by Venezuelans who flee the country due to the lack of food, medicine, safety and freedom.
Translated by José Rafael Medina
