The organization assures that in these three Latin American countries it has granted and expanded provisional measures in favor of the victims of arbitrary arrests and their families, since the differentiated treatment they face due to the reasons that led to their imprisonment has caused several of them, including other things, health deterioration
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) called for the release of political prisoners in the region and placed special emphasis on the 1,476 who are behind bars in Venezuela (247), Nicaragua (195) and Cuba (1,476), where, according to The organization and its Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE) have affirmed, the rule of law does not exist and the Judiciary is used to persecute people, violating the free expression of thought.
In a statement released on December 29the body also expressed its concern about the deplorable detention conditions to which those deprived of liberty are subjected for political reasons and called for the governments of those countries to adopt immediate release measures.
“Permanently, information is received on the use of deprivation of liberty with the discretionary and excessive use of preventive detention, as a mechanism of control, censorship and retaliation, as well as violations of due process and judicial protection (…) Although These practices were denounced in different countries of the hemisphere, it is highlighted that they are used mainly by authoritarian governments characterized by the subjection of the Judiciary to the Executive in frank ignorance of the principle of separation of powers,” commented the IACHR and mentioned that the three nations cited above resort to these practices.
The organization assured that in these territories it has granted and expanded provisional measures in favor of the victims of arbitrary arrests and their family nuclei, since they face differentiated treatment derived from the reasons that led to their imprisonment, which, over time, has caused deterioration of health of several of them.
«Some patterns are observed such as: 1) absence of official information about their situation, including the place of accommodation; 2) use of solitary confinement and incommunicado regimes; 3) lack of timely and specialized medical care; 4) lack of access to drinking water and adequate food; 5) unsanitary conditions; 6) obstacles to maintaining regular, direct, and dignified contact with their families, including their sons and daughters; 7) restrictions on visits for long periods of time; and, 8) submission to torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment,” the IACHR detailed in its communication.
#IACHR The immediate release of people detained for political reasons in the hemisphere is urgently needed.#Human rights ? https://t.co/zWUfDSwiD8 pic.twitter.com/0zXOh77Kfc
— IACHR – IACHR (@CIDH) December 29, 2022
Likewise, the entity reiterated the obligation of the States of the Americas to respect and ensure detention conditions compatible with human dignity and to guarantee direct and regular contact of detainees with their families.
He also highlighted that political prisoners face a greater risk of being victims of torture and cruel treatment, for which reason he reminded governments of their responsibility to “prevent, combat and punish these acts” by adopting measures that include a gender perspective.
“The Commission and its Office of the Special Rapporteur urge the States of the Americas to release all persons deprived of liberty for political reasons, as well as to respect and guarantee their life and personal integrity; encourages them to undertake humanitarian actions that allow verifying and improving their detention conditions, including facilitating visits by their relatives and lawyers in accordance with international law,” the IACHR pointed out.
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