University students and teenagers among those arrested in protests transferred to Tocuyito prison

• The complaint was made by several non-governmental organizations, which also pointed out that relatives have not been able to visit the detainees | @Diario_Tiempo | Twitter

Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) denounced on Tuesday, August 27, the transfer of teenagers and university students detained during the post-election protests to the Tocuyito Penitentiary Center in Carabobo.

Luis Serrano, coordinator of the NGO Redes Ayuda, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that relatives of political prisoners are denied access to their families to provide them with food and water. The Venezuelan Program for Education and Action in Human Rights (Provea) also denounced this situation.

According to Serrano, the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin) will take control of this prison and is compiling a list of the detainees.

In Tocuyito, relatives of political prisoners are not allowed to see them or give them food and water. Apparently, they were transferred to this prison from all over the country.

They are informed that the SEBIN will take control of the prison and that they are making “the list.” pic.twitter.com/wXZxe275WY

— Luis Serrano (@akaLuisSerrano) August 27, 2024

For his part, Juan Carlos Apitz, dean of the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences at the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), said that among those detained are several students from this university.

“The indignation of all Venezuelans is as great as your bravery, 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 gathered in front of the Tocuyito prison waiting to see the political prisoners.

Maduro ordered the adaptation of the Tocuyito and Tocorón prisons for those arrested during the protests

Nicolás Maduro said on Saturday, August 1, that he will prepare the Tocuyito and Tocorón prisons to hold more than 2,000 prisoners for the protests in Venezuela

Maduro said he will detain the protesters in the Aragua Penitentiary Center, better known as the Tocorón prison, and the Tocuyito Prison in Carabobo.

“I have decided to create two maximum security prisons for all the new generation gangs that are involved in riots and criminal attacks, and there will be no forgiveness or consideration,” said the president during the National Council of Productive Economy.

OVP denounced the inhumane conditions in which the detainees are kept

On August 22, the Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) reported that those arrested in the post-election protests They are held in “inhumane conditions.”

The organization said in a statement that none of the people had undergone a medical examination, despite the fact that some of them suffer from a pathology or disability.

Photo: OVP

“We have continuously and consistently denounced the critical overcrowding in our country’s prisons. At the OVP we are deeply concerned about the inhumane conditions of confinement in which all the people who have been arbitrarily arrested find themselves,” the letter says.

He also mentioned that many of them suffer from the lack of drinking water in prisons. They said that the small amount they receive is not suitable for consumption or personal hygiene.

More than 1,600 arrests in post-election protests

In the latest report published by the Penal Forum on August 23, the number of people arrested since July 29, the date on which the protests began, rose to 1,674 in VenezuelaThe NGO indicated that this is the highest figure reported in the country during the 21st century.

The Penal Forum indicated that of the 1,674 political prisoners, 1,458 are men and 216 are women. In addition, 1,567 are adults and 107 are minors.

Photo: EFE/ Ronald Peña R.

As for their occupations, 1,519 of those arrested are civilians, while 155 are military personnel.

The NGO also reported that between July 22 and August 22, authorities imprisoned 1,377 people for political reasons and sentenced 149. In addition, 8 people were released from prison, while 1,525 of those arrested have not yet been granted a precautionary measure.

The figures from the Penal Forum contrast with those of the Venezuelan Executive, which, as of August 15, had counted 2,400 people arrested during the demonstrations.

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