How many political prisoners have died since 2015 in the custody of the Venezuelan State?

The Public Ministry confirmed this Sunday the death in state custody of Edison José Torres Fernández. In a statement, the entity indicated that Torres Fernández “presented a sudden health decompensation, for which he was immediately transferred to the healthcare center, entering with vital signs and being attended to in a timely manner by medical personnel.”

“Nevertheless, suffered a cerebrovascular event followed by cardiac arrest, which caused his death” at the Dr. Domingo Luciani hospital, in the east of Caracas, added the MP.

Torres Fernández was an official of the Portuguese State Police, about 400 kilometers from Caracas, with more than 20 years of service, according to the Committee of Relatives for the Freedom of Political Prisoners (Clipp).

This organization detailed that Torres Fernández was arrested on December 9, 2025 for sharing critical messages against the regime and the state governor.”

He indicated that “he was charged with crimes of treason and association to commit a crime.”

Who are the prisoners who died in the custody of the Venezuelan State?

Below is the list of the 26 people imprisoned for political reasons who, according to the Committee for the Freedom of Social Fighters, have died in the custody of the Venezuelan State since 2015:

1. Rodolfo Pedro González (died on 03/12/2015 in El Helicoide)
2. Carlos Andrés García (died on 09/17/2017 in El Helicoide)
3. Rafael Arreaza (died on 11/30/2017 in Ramo Verde)
4. Fernando Albán (died on 10/8/2018 in Sebin)
5. Nelson Martínez (died on 12/12/2018 in the Ggcim)
6. Virgilio Jiménez Urbina (died on 02/05/2019 in the Uribana-Lara prison)
7. Ángel Javier Sequera Romero (died on 03/09/2019 in the Cicpc-Bolívar dungeons)
8. Elwin Mendoza (died on 03/24/2019 in Detachment 113 of the GNB-Zulia)
9. Rafael Acosta Arévalo (died on 06/19/2019 at the Dgcim)
10. Wilfredo José Heredia Rodríguez (died on 02/09/2020 at the Dgcim)
11. Luis Armando Monsalve Was (died on 05/31/2020 at the Dgcim)
12. Pedro Pablo Santana (died on 08/14/2020; he was under house arrest)
13. Salvador Franco (died on 01/03/2021 at the Rodeo II Judicial Confinement Center)
14. Gabriel Andrés Medina Díaz (died on 08/29/2021 at the Nelson Mandela New Man Training Center in La Pica-Monagas)
15. Raúl Isaías Baduel (died on 10/12/2021 in El Helicoide)
16. Armando Flores Piñango (died on 08/23/2022 in Ramo Verde)
17. Leoner Azuaje Urrea (died on 04/21/2023 in El Helicoide)
18. Juan Manuel Almeida Morgado (died on 05/16/2023; he was under house arrest)
19. Marino Lugo Aguilar (died on 04/17/2024 in the Dgcim)
20. Jesús Manuel Martínez Medina (died on 11/14/2024 at the Luis Razetti Hospital in Barcelona-Anzoátegui; he was in the custody of the PNB)
21. Jesús Rafael Álvarez (died on 12/12/2024 at the Tocuyito-Carabobo Judicial Confinement Center)
22. Osgual Alexander González Pérez (died on 12/16/2024 at the Tocuyito-Carabobo Judicial Confinement Center)
23. Reinaldo Araujo (died on 02/24/2025 in the Trujillo Police cells)
24. Lindomar Jesús Amaro Bustamante (died on 05/03/2025 at the Aragua Penitentiary Center, Tocorón)
25. Alfredo Javier Díaz Figueroa (died on 12/06/2025 in El Helicoide)
26. Edison José Torres Fernández (died on 01/10/2026 at Dr. Domingo Luciani hospital, Caracas)

Release of political prisoners

Last Thursday, the authorities announced the release of a “significant number” of these detainees, a process that non-governmental organizations and the majority opposition denounce is progressing in dribs and drabs.

Alfredo Romero, director of the NGO Foro Penal, published this Sunday an updated balance sheet about the release process in the country and assured that since last January 8, only 17 releases have been registered.

“803 political prisoners remain incarcerated”he expressed in a message published in X.