The NGO Foro Penal registered, between January 2020 and October 2021, 481 people detained in an “arbitrary” manner, of whom, in addition, 95 were tortured, the entity reported on Tuesday.
The organization, which presented a report together with the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights entitled “Criminal Justice as a tool of political repression in Venezuela”, he pointed out that 93 cases of torture were registered in 2020 and two in 2021.
“Among these cases, the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim) led the number of reports against, representing 29 of 95 (30.53%) of the total complaints of torture,” he explained.
Protests, “conspiracy” and military rebellion
Likewise, it indicated that the cases of torture occur, mostly, when the detention occurs in the context of protests (38 cases). Followed by “conspiracy” (23 cases) and military rebellion (17 cases).
“Most of the people who alleged torture were disappeared at the time of their arrest (46.32%). Additionally, 44% of the people who alleged torture received a public defense”, he added.
In addition, he continued, more than half of them (57.89%) were brought before a judge after the initial 48 hours of their arrest.
“Of the 95 people arrested who alleged torture, 5 were released without being brought before a court, 90 people were formally prosecuted, of which 42 were assisted by private defense,” he said.
As of April, 38 of these people are still detained, 39 were released with alternative measures and one person was released in February with full acquittal, reported the Penal Forum.
Human rights violations
91.5% of the detainees were adults and 8.5% adolescents, and of the total, 410 were men and 71 women.
For the organization, these cases reflect a “specific State policy: the systematic practice of forced disappearance, torture and other human rights violations, carried out by State agents to criminalize, repress and terrorize anyone who is perceived as as a critical voice or political dissident.
“Usually people are arbitrarily detained and their whereabouts are denied by the security agencies that carry out the detention. Even when lawyers and relatives are present in places of detention », he indicated.
The Penal Forum called for the release of all those detained for political reasons and those imprisoned arbitrarily.
Analyzing 480+ arbitrary arrests from 2020-2021, this report highlights a pattern of:
❌Enforced disappearance
❌Torture
❌Human rights violationsBy the State to criminalize and frighten those perceived as critical voices or political dissidents.
— Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (@RFKHumanRights) June 21, 2022
Since 2020 we have documented a dramatic increase in the use of enforced disappearances as a tool of political repression in #Venezuela. Currently, @IntlCrimCourt is investigating alleged crimes against humanity committed by the State.https://t.co/j43py8qgHr
— Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (@RFKHumanRights) June 21, 2022
Today we publish a shocking report with @ForoPenal that illustrates how the systematic use of the criminal justice system in #Venezuela to persecute critical voices, human rights defenders and those who are perceived as political opponents.
➡️https://t.co/vX4LqLA3WQ pic.twitter.com/RYMjpHBb93
— Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (@RFKHumanRights) June 21, 2022
