Venezuela announces release of key political prisoners
Photo credit: Alfredo Lasry R/Getty Images
Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and brother of interim president Delcy Rodríguez, announced on Thursday that authorities had started releasing political prisoners as part of what he called a “unilateral gesture” by the government, News.Az reports, citing The Washington Post.
Jorge Rodríguez said the releases would include Venezuelan citizens and foreigners, though he did not specify how many people would be freed, saying only that it would be “an important number.”
“These release processes are occurring as of this very moment,” Rodríguez said during a news conference Thursday at the National Assembly.
Human rights groups say Venezuela holds hundreds of political prisoners, though exact figures are difficult to verify. According to the watchdog group Foro Penal, as of Monday, 806 people were detained for political reasons, including 105 women, a teenager and 85 foreign nationals.
News.Az
