The Peace Laboratory organization warned this Friday about the critical deterioration of the health and confinement conditions of 32 political prisoners that the authorities link with the Operation Gideon caseafter complaints from relatives who were authorized to visit them in El Helicoide.
Mothers and relatives reported an alarming state of the detainees after six months without information about their whereabouts, the organization said in a statement.
They present “severe signs of malnutrition, physical weakness, cognitive disorientation and psychological affectation, presumably associated with conditions of confinement and insufficient nutrition,” the NGO denounces.
The testimonies describe tremors, obvious physical deterioration and mental alterations. Relatives described the situation critical condition that, they say, requires immediate attention and without interference.
Peace Laboratory recalled that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights prohibits torture and cruel treatment, and warned that the lack of adequate food, medical care or family contact can constitute inhuman or degrading treatment, compromising the international responsibility of the State.
He stressed that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights requires protection of the right to life, prohibits torture and establishes that every person deprived of liberty must be treated with respect for their dignity.
“Torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, as well as forced disappearance as a systematic way of inflicting harm against people who dissent constitute crimes against humanity for reasons of political persecution,” it points out.
They request medical review and humanitarian release
The organization joined the call of the relatives and requested urgent measures from the authorities, including independent medical evaluation and regular access to food and visits.
The NGO joins the family members in requesting the intervention of the interim president, Delcy Rodríguez; to the United States government, represented by Marco Rubio, and the charge d’affaires in Venezuela, Laura Dogu.
Among the actions requested are guaranteeing a comprehensive medical evaluation with specialists in nutrition and mental health, allowing periodic visits without intimidating surveillance, and the transfer of family members to Caracas to facilitate continued assistance.
The statement asks that the case be urgently considered for “immediate release for humanitarian reasons”, given the prolonged damage to the physical and mental integrity and the risk to the lives of the detainees.
The organization called on the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the High Commissioner for human rights, Volker Türkas well as the World Organization against Torture, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other specialized mechanisms to activate formal channels of intervention and monitoring.
It requested the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to adopt urgent precautionary measures, considering that there is an imminent risk to the life and integrity of the detainees and recalling history of deaths in custody that could have been prevented.
“The available public information suggests real and imminent risk to the life and integrity of the detained persons,” warns the NGO, which urges action under the principle of prevention of irreparable harm of international human rights law. “Our deep indignation and respect and solidarity with mothers, relatives and the 32 Gideons, subjected today to inhuman conditions contrary to any treaty on human rights.”
The Peace Laboratory statement concludes: “No there may be transition, coexistence and reconciliation as long as torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and persecution for political reasons continue to be applied in the country and those responsible remain in custody of the most vulnerable, the political prisoners and missing persons in Venezuela.
