Foro Penal reported that a group of detainees in Amazonas were transferred to the Tocorón prison

• Onal Ortiz, coordinator of human rights for indigenous peoples of the NGO, reported that six of the 12 Amazonians are indigenous | Main photo: EFE

The non-governmental organization (NGO) Foro Penal reported on Wednesday, September 4, that at least 12 detainees in Amazonas were transferred to the Aragua Penitentiary Center, better known as Tocorón prison.

Onal Ortiz, coordinator of human rights for indigenous peoples at Foro Penal, reported that among the 12 Amazonians detained in the post-election protests, six are indigenous.

“We advocate for freedom and the guarantee of their human rights, since our indigenous brothers have the prerogative of fundamental rights and, as indigenous people, these have been violated,” said Ortiz.

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Among those detained who were transferred was Henry Gómez, a lawyer and defender of indigenous human rights.

According to the information, this transfer increases the number of indigenous people held in Tocorón prison to seven.

Ortiz described the detention of the Amazonians as an “arbitrary act” by state security forces, and demanded that they be guaranteed due process and their safety be protected.

#4Sep | @olnarortizBarecoordinator of human rights of indigenous peoples of @ForoPenalreported that today at 4:00 am, 12 Amazonian men, including 6 indigenous people, detained in the post-election protests in Amazonas, were transferred to Tocorón (Aragua).

“Us… pic.twitter.com/EZC43ibzok

— The Daily (@eldiario) September 4, 2024

At least 700 political prisoners were transferred to Tocorón and Tocuyito

For its part, the Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) reported on August 31 that at least 700 political prisoners in post-election protests were transferred to the Tocorón prison in Aragua and to the Carabobo Penitentiary Center (Tocuyito) by order of the government of Nicolás Maduro.

“We note with great concern that the transfers of these detainees were carried out with many irregularities, including some under false pretenses, as their families were not notified and many of them found out when they went to take food to the police stations,” the OVP said in a press release.

In addition, the OVP indicated that on August 25 it received complaints about the alleged transfer of detainees to the Yare III Capital Judicial Internment Center (Miranda state), where they were allegedly given haircuts and dressed in blue shirts and pants.

“They were later transferred in at least 14 buses to the Aragua Penitentiary Center, known as Tocorón; the Hombre Nuevo Libertador Training Center, known as Fénix Carabobo, and the facilities of the evacuated Carabobo Penitentiary Center, known as Tocuyito,” the organization said.

On August 27, the OVP also recorded transfers of detainees from the headquarters of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) in San Francisco, in the state of Zulia, and from the Criminal Investigations Directorate of the PNB, in Barinas, to the prisons of Tocorón and Tocuyito.

In addition, the NGO documented other relocations from penitentiary centers in Nueva Esparta, Táchira and Apure on August 30.

86 teenagers released from prison

On September 1, 2024, various human rights organizations reported the release of 86 adolescents detained during the post-election protests that took place since July 29.

It was learned that the released adolescents are between 14 and 17 years old (74 men and 12 women).

Photo: EFE

Human rights violations

The Venezuelan Prison Observatory has repeatedly denounced that those detained during the post-election protests were not given physical or psychological medical check-ups.

They also warned that the authorities are keeping them isolated and not allowing them to communicate with their families or private lawyers.

“There are many relatives who have traveled miles away, despite the economic cost that this implies in a country plagued by inflation, and in none of the aforementioned prisons is there a list of those transferred. There is no one to give them information about the whereabouts of their relative, or when the visiting days will be and under what conditions they will be,” the organization detailed on its social networks.

The NGO also stressed its concern about the irregular transfer of the detainees, as their families were not properly notified and found out about the relocation when food was brought to the prison.

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