The NGO Foro Penal, the main organization that defends political prisoners in Venezuela, updated the number of detainees for political reasons, which stands at 485, something they consider negative with an Amnesty Law in force.
“Unfortunately, the Amnesty Law is functioning more like a funnel to slow down or paralyze the freedom of many political prisoners, who today number 485,” declared Alfredo Romero, president director of the organization, through X.
Until Thursday of last week, Foro Penal registered 490 political prisoners, of which 44 are foreigners or Venezuelans with dual nationality.
The release process began five days after the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores by the United States in Caracas. At the end of that same month, the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez presented an amnesty bill that was approved by Parliament on February 19.
The law contemplates a period of 27 years (since 1999), but limits the amnesty to people linked to only 13 specific events that occurred in 13 different years. Cases related to military operations, as well as crimes of corruption, homicide and human rights violations, are excluded.
On Tuesday, Delcy Rodríguez stated that “more than 8,000” people have been amnestied since the law was enacted, although the vast majority were already on parole.
More than a month after the norm was approved, the Venezuelan authorities have not yet published the list with the names of those granted amnesty, despite the public request of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.
