"To crush dissent over the past 13 years, Venezuela's authoritarian regime arrested thousands of protesters, students and opposition activists. Now, in the aftermath of the U.S. raid that ousted President Nicolas Maduro, the new government is starting to release political prisoners. But as of Monday morning, just 41 of the more than 800 political prisoners have been freed, according to Foro Penal, a Venezuelan legal aid group that works on their behalf."
"They include Edilson Torres, a 52-year-old police officer who was detained in December for criticizing the Maduro regime. Torres died of a heart attack Saturday, according to Attorney General Tarek William Saab. "Most political prisoners are being tortured or subject to cruel treatment in some way or the other," Romero said. The torture of political prisoners is one reason why the International Criminal Court in 2021 opened an investigation against the Maduro regime for crimes against humanity."
Over the past 13 years Venezuela's authoritarian regime arrested thousands of protesters, students and opposition activists. After a U.S. raid that ousted President Nicolas Maduro, the new government began releasing political prisoners. Foro Penal reports that just 41 of more than 800 political prisoners have been freed. Alfredo Romero, director of Foro Penal, described the process as slow and warned that many detainees have been badly mistreated and some have died in detention. Edilson Torres, a 52-year-old police officer detained for criticizing the regime, died of a heart attack. The International Criminal Court opened a 2021 investigation into crimes against humanity linked to prisoner torture. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado demanded full release.
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