Venezuelan authorities released human rights activist Javier Tarazona, who spent more than four and a half years in prison, the organization Foro Penal announced on Sunday. The agencies AFP and Reuters reported about it, writes TASR.
- Venezuelan authorities have released activist Javier Tarazona from prison.
- The release is part of a larger amnesty process in the country.
- El Helicoide prison is to be turned into a community centre.
- There are still over 700 political prisoners in Venezuela.
Tarazona was freed as part of the release of hundreds of prisoners announced Friday by Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, as part of a process linked to a general amnesty bill.
This is one of the most significant steps since she took office after the overthrow of ex-president Nicolás Maduro, who was kidnapped from his homeland together with his wife in early January by US special forces.
They fired hundreds
Since the government announced a new round of releases on January 8, Foro Penal has verified more than 300 of what it says are political prisoners. She also reported on the X Network on Sunday that authorities had released Tarazona and several others from the infamous El Helicoide prison in Caracas.
Rodríguez announced on Friday that the El Helicoide prison, where, according to human rights organizations, Venezuelan secret services tortured political prisoners, is to become a center for sports and social services.
Tarazona is the head of the FundaRedes initiative, which monitors alleged human rights violations by Colombian armed groups and the Venezuelan army in the border region of both countries. In July 2021, he was arrested and charged with terrorism and conspiracy.
There are still high numbers in prison
“After 1675 days, four years and seven months, the day we longed for has arrived – my brother Javier Tarazona is free,” Brother José Rafael responded to his release. “The freedom of one is the hope of all,” he added.
According to Foro Penal, more than 700 political prisoners remain imprisoned. Government officials, however, deny the detention of people for political reasons and claim that the prisoners have committed crimes. Caracas also states that it has already released more than 600 people. However, according to the Reuters agency, this number apparently also includes persons released in previous years.
