Venezuela releases over 100 political detainees, rights group says

By Fatma Zehra Solmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) — Venezuelan authorities have freed more than 100 individuals identified as political detainees, a human rights organization said on Sunday.

At least 104 prisoners were released on Sunday, with the number expected to rise, according to a statement from the Caracas-based Foro Penal.

"#Jan25 8 p.m. At this hour at@ForoPenal, we have verified 104 releases of political prisoners in Venezuela today. We continue verifying other releases. It would be ideal for the government to publish lists of releases," Foro Penal head Alfredo Romero wrote on US social media company X.

The group said those released included its lawyer, Kennedy Tejeda, and communications student Juan Francisco Alvarado. Tejeda, a human rights lawyer, was last seen on Aug. 2, 2024, after visiting a detention center in Carabobo state to assist political detainees, the NGO said.

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez said detainees held under Nicolas Maduro would be released, in her first media appearance since the former leader was seized by US special forces earlier this month.

Venezuela’s government has said it freed more than 600 detainees in recent weeks. However, rights organizations have challenged the official numbers, with Foro Penal saying the actual total is closer to half the figure cited by authorities.

According to Foro Penal, many of the recently released detainees' charges have not been dismissed. As a result, they are still subject to legal uncertainty and are not permitted to speak publicly, the group said.

It added that there were 777 political prisoners in Venezuelan jails on January 19.

Rodriguez said in a televised address last week that she planned to speak with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Monday to ask the UN to verify the figures.