- The released minors were not granted full freedom, but were given precautionary measures | Photo: EFE/ Ronald Peña R.
Luis Armando Betancourt, deputy director of the Penal Forum, reported that there are still 28 adolescents who are deprived of their liberty in the context of the post-election protests of July 29.
“From a panorama of 114 adolescents that the Penal Forum recorded since the arrests that occurred on July 29 until today, there has been a total of 86 adolescents released,” he confirmed in an interview for NTN24 Monday, September 2nd.
He also recalled that the released minors are under restrictive measures, which means that they have not received full freedom.
“These are precautionary measures that substitute freedom, such as being subject to periodic appearances in court, not making statements to the media, remaining in the educational system or under the guardianship and protection of the father or representative,” he explained.
According to Betancourt, released teenagers They are in the age range of 14 to 16 years.
Parents denounced the treatment to which their children were subjected in detention
Relatives of the detained teenagers reported that the authorities subjected their children to various conditions, including mistreatment, according to reports from the Penal Forum.
“We have been accused of various things, among which we are most concerned about are the mistreatment, recording videos saying slogans. They have also reported that there are teenagers who were in the same cell with adults, something that is completely prohibited by law in Venezuela,” he said.
Betancourt confirmed that some teenagers were forced to cut their hair and were wearing a uniform.
The ONG It is estimated that more adolescents detained in the country will be released in the coming hours.
“We have 28 teenagers left who should be released in the next few hours, as we have demanded. They are people who are arbitrarily detained, some of whom should be in the educational system, either university or some other institution. This could undoubtedly limit their freedom,” he said.
Where were the teenagers being held?
Betancourt clarified that most of the teenagers arrested in the context of the post-election protests are being held in police stations.
“What we have recorded was kept in police stations. It is less traumatic than a proper detention site such as a penitentiary for treating adults, such as Tocuyito, Tocorón, Yare I or Yare II,” he added.
He also noted that the largest number of releases occurred in Altos Mirandinos, the Capital District and Lara.
On August 27, Juan Carlos Apitz, dean of the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), reported that among the political prisoners transferred to Tocuyito were several university students from this school.
“The indignation of all Venezuelans is as great as your courage, boys. We will fight until we achieve your freedom!” he wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter).
In the video shared by Apitz, relatives of the detainees can be seen outside the Tocuyito prison waiting to see the political prisoners.
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2024-09-03 09:04:08