Venezuela Holds 89 Foreign Political Prisoners, Rights Group Reports
Caracas – As of September 15, 89 foreign nationals adn Venezuelans with dual citizenship are currently detained in Venezuela as political prisoners, according to a report released Wednesday by the NGO Criminal Forum.
Colombians comprise the largest group of foreign political prisoners, with 21 individuals held. The report also details the detention of two citizens each from Germany, Argentina, Ecuador, France, the Netherlands, Peru, and ukraine. Additionally, two individuals with both Iranian and Irish nationality, and another with Polish and Ukrainian passports are among those imprisoned.
Other nationalities represented in the count include detainees from the Czech Republic,Cuba,Lebanon,Pakistan,Guyana,hungary,Italy,and Romania.
Criminal Forum documented further cases of dual nationals: 13 with Colombian citizenship, 13 with Spanish citizenship, 6 with Italian citizenship, 5 with Portuguese citizenship, and one each from chile, Cyprus, Argentina, and Hungary.
The report’s release coincides with a renewed travel warning from the United States in August, advising citizens to avoid travel to Venezuela due to the risk of arbitrary detention, torture, terrorism, kidnapping, violence, and civil unrest.