Echoes of Isolation: Global Outcry Against Venezuela’s Shadow Jails

• Lawyer Alonso Medina explained that there is a pattern of torture against detainees in the country, without any statement from the authorities | Photo: El Diario

Alonso Medina, director of the Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy, warned that many of the political prisoners in Venezuela have health problems, while others suffer from “worrying” emotional conditions.

“(Those detained in post-election protests) exceed 2,000 people, including teenagers, (in addition) to a significant number of women. Many have health problems and others have a worrying emotional psychological condition. Apart from this situation, we have denounced the issue of the violation of due process and the restriction on defense,” Medina detailed in an interview for VPI on October 9.

Regarding the detained teenagers, the lawyer also expressed that it is a “really dramatic” situation that has generated social “wounds.” He added that the pattern of torture and cruel treatment of prisoners has become a common factor in recent years.

Photo: Provide

“There is a complicit silence on the part of the authorities. We have not seen a public statement from the Public Ministry or the Ombudsman’s Office. That is to say, a custom and tolerance has been generated regarding the issue of torture and cruel treatment of those deprived of liberty and, surely, of adolescents as well,” he said.

He commented that the situation in the country is also generating a new wave of migration that affects the entire social structure due to political issues.

“It is time to propose a solution and exhaust all the mechanisms we have at hand to solve the problem. “Not only to stay with the presentation of a constitutional protection action and take actions to seek the appointment of the defense (…) We cannot continue to sit and wait for all the releases to be carried out at some point,” he added.

Complaints about detained teenagers

On October 4, the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory (OVP) published an audio on its the minors would have been “tortured” in the Caraballeda Preventive Detention Center for Adolescents and Women, in La Guaira.

“Heartbreaking screams from mothers and children were heard at the Caraballeda Adolescent and Female Preventive Detention Center, in La Guaira, where eight adolescents accused of terrorism remain,” the non-governmental organization (NGO) wrote in X.

The relatives also claimed that they throw food away from the teenagers and attack them “whenever they want.”

Foto: Runrunes

For its part, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Justice, Encounter and Forgiveness (JEP Venezuela) warned on September 27 that the adolescents detained in Valencia, Carabobo state, were being pressured to admit acts that “they have not committed.”

“We warn that any statement obtained under duress is void of any nullity. It is important to remember that these young people have not had access to trusted defenders to represent them in judicial processes that have clearly violated due process,” the NGO wrote in X.

The institution also reported that the detainees have been victims of “threats and harassment” and “psychological shocks” that have led them to develop “stress episodes and panic attacks.”

The NGO pointed out that the situation worries their families, which is why they urged the authorities of the justice system to prevent further abuses and violations of the dignity of adolescents.

“We call for the restoration of respect for their rights and compliance with due process. We insist that all these young people must be released fully and without conditions,” concluded the statement published by the organization in X.

Political prisoners in Venezuela

On October 9, the Penal Forum reported that there are a total of 1,916 political prisoners in the country, of which 1,676 are men and 240 women.

Of this total, the organization confirmed that there are 1,846 adults and 70 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 17.

The NGO specified that, of the total number of arrests, 1,784 were made after the presidential elections of July 28. Among those detained are lawyers, activists and political leaders, journalists and students.

Photo: EFE

In relation to the political leaders, at least 41 correspond to the Vente Venezuela party, founded by opposition leader María Corina Machado. On October 4, the Con Venezuela Command denounced the arrest of Renny Rodríguez, the party’s Training coordinator in Anzoátegui.

These are the leaders of Vente Venezuela and the Comando Con Venezuela detained after the July 28 elections:

-Julio Itriago

-Maria Oropeza

-Dignora Hernandez

-Ricardo Estevez

-Milciades Avila

-Edwin Moya

-Henry Alviarez

-Renny Rodríguez

-Juan Freites

-Luis Camacaro

-Guillermo López

-Emill Brandt

-Victor Castillo

-Jean Carlos Rivas

-Juan Iriarte

-Luis López

-Gabriel González

-Aldo Rosso

-Dennys Manrique

-César Tiapa

-Angel Aristimuno

-Mayra Montilla

-Mary Rodriguez

-Martín Prieto

-Ubencio Gil Pacheco

-Alejandro Castro

-Jorge Sarmiento

-Jose Angel Ruiz

-Guido Romano Medina

-Eduardo Daboin

-Jose Ruiz

-Andres Ruiz

-Adonis Alejandro Torres

-Yohandri Alaña

-Henry Salazar

– Yulenny Aranguren

-Virgilio Laverde

-Juan Diego Lucena

-Manuel Navarro

-Yonaiker Paredes

-Luis Isturiz

-Perkins Rocha

– Biagio Pillieri

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