UN: Torture and illegal detention continue to be practiced in Venezuela

Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that torture and illegal detention practices continue in Venezuela, with many citizens being arbitrarily detained.

He mentioned that the information received indicates torture and ill-treatment, especially in the Rodeo 1 and Fuerte Guaicapuro detention centers. Turk urged Venezuelan authorities to immediately release all arbitrarily detained individuals.

According to the NGO Foro Penal, there are 508 political prisoners in Venezuela.

Although he welcomed the recently enacted amnesty law, which could facilitate the release of those detained for political reasons, Turk called for greater transparency and unrestricted access to detention centers. He emphasized that the state of emergency declared by the authorities has been used to create a climate of fear and called for its reevaluation.

Turk appreciated the decision to allow UN staff access to Venezuela, but did not specify whether this would lead to the reopening of the office expelled in February 2024.