- The NGO said its lawyers have not been able to access the defense of the detainees | Main photo: EFE
On Thursday, August 1, the Penal Forum stated that the situation of the more than 600 people detained in Venezuela for the protests following the presidential elections is uncertain.
Johan Ángel, a lawyer for the non-governmental organization (NGO), confirmed in an interview with The newspaper that lawyers have not been able to access the defense of the detainees.
“The situation of the detainees is totally uncertain, it is unknown. Given that, due to the number of detainees, they have only been attended to through telematic hearings,” he explained, from outside the headquarters of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) zone 7 of Boleíta, Sucre municipality, Miranda state, where many of the detainees have been taken.
#Exclusive | Johan Angel, lawyer of @ForoPenalreported that the situation of the people detained after the protests against the results announced by the CNE is “uncertain.”
“Due to the number of detainees, only telematic hearings have been possible,” explained the… pic.twitter.com/L8B3Srf2wZ
— The Daily (@eldiario) August 1, 2024
Regarding the way in which they are having contact with the detainees, Angel indicated that the detainees make calls from the Palace of Justice.
Relatives of the detainees say that their children did not participate in the rally
Relatives of those arrested in the context of the protests said that PNB officers took their children from their homes on Tuesday, July 30. They added that many of them are teenagers and that they have no criminal records because this is the first time they have been in this situation.
“I can’t take it anymore. I can’t be consoled, just like my son is here, there are children here of 16 and 13 years old. I want all those kids to come out. Enough is enough, we can’t continue like this,” she said from Boleíta to VPItv one of the mothers of the detainees, who did not identify herself.
Relatives of those arrested for protesting after the results of the elections #PresidencialesVE2024 They describe how citizens were taken from their homes in urban developments such as Cacique Tiuna, in the Coche parish.
“I can’t take it anymore. I can’t be comforted, my son is here like this… pic.twitter.com/TsnOgODW72
— VPItv (@VPITV) August 1, 2024
Another mother who gave her testimony said that the PNB detained her son on Tuesday, July 30, when the citizen assembly was held on Francisco de Miranda Avenue. Her son, who said he did not participate in the demonstration, was walking in Altamira.
“We are all outraged. If they were not protesting, why do they have to be detained? We want our boys to be out on the streets,” he added.
“We are all outraged. If they were not protesting, why do they have to be detained? We want our boys to be out on the streets.”
Situation in Zone 7, Boleíta, #Caracas. https://t.co/Y82wuqyc1m pic.twitter.com/b1ROL545Lx
— VPItv (@VPITV) August 1, 2024
Penal Forum reported 672 people arrested during the protests
From July 29 to July 31, the Criminal Forum counted 672 arrests and 11 deaths in the context of post-election protests. However, the Public Prosecutor’s Office reported on Wednesday, July 31 that They had 1,062 detainees after the demonstrations.
Gonzalo Himiob, vice-president of Foro Penal, published the update of the figures on his X account (formerly Twitter). The image of the report indicates that the most arrests were in the Capital District, Anzoátegui and Carabobo.
The arrests took place in these 23 entities:
- Capital District: 111
- Anzoategui:110
- Carabobo:106
- Miranda: 51
- Barinas: 37
- Zulia: 36
- New Sparta: 30
- Lara:29
- Portuguese: 25
- Aragua: 20
- Merida: 19
- Yaracuy: 15
- Tachira: 12
- Trujillo: 12
- Cojedes: 11
- Guarico: 10
- La Guaira: 9
- Amazonas: 9
- Monagas: 9
- Apure: 4
- Falcon: 4
- Bolívar: 2
- Sucre: 1
Likewise, the non-governmental organization (NGO) reported that the deaths were recorded in the Capital District (5) and the states of Yaracuy (2), Zulia (2), Aragua (1) and Táchira (1).
International organizations urge against criminalizing protests in Venezuela
In response to reports of human rights violations during the protests, several organizations condemned the high levels of repression and violence in Venezuela. They also demanded that the authorities guarantee the right to protest and respect the rights of Venezuelans, “essential elements” of democracy.
Among the organizations that signed the statement are the following:
-International Amnesty
-Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
-CIVICUS
-International Commission of Jurists
-Freedom House
-Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
-Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
-Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
In the statement, they warn about the Attorney General, Tarek William Saab,’s accusation of those arrested in connection with the protest, and the announcement that they will be charged with crimes such as public incitement, obstruction of public roads, incitement to hatred, resistance to authority and, in the most serious cases, terrorism, which will result in prison sentences.
“We call on the authorities to refrain from criminalizing protest and to fully comply with international standards and norms on the use of force,” they added.
International human rights organizations are also calling for a “de-escalation of the conflict” in Venezuela.
“Use non-violent means, use force in a progressive and differentiated manner, and respect the right to political participation through the electoral process,” they added.
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2024-08-02 02:49:05
