The NGO Foro Penal confirmed this Thursday the release of 302 political prisoners in Venezuela since January 8the day the government announced the release of a “significant number” of people. The releases came days after the US attack that culminated in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The director of Foro Penal, Alfredo Romero, stated on the social network
They denounce conditional releases
However, human rights organizations They warn that it is not a complete liberationbut rather alternative measures to prison, as Martha Tineo, coordinator of Justice, Encounter and Forgiveness, explained to Efe this Wednesday (J.E.P.).
Those released from prison – according to Tineo – face restrictions such as the prohibition to leave the country, to speak to the press about their cases and the obligation to appear periodically in court. For this reason, the JEP demanded that they be “fully released”, recalling that they were victims of “arbitrary arrests for political reasons.”
The measure was announced on January 8 by the president of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, without specifying figures or conditions. Since then, civil and family organizations have demanded an official list of beneficiaries.
In contrast, the Minister of the Interior and Justice, Diosdado Cabello, assured this week that 808 people had been released “before December” -without specifying the date- and denied the existence of political prisoners in the country.
