UN human rights probe team calls for immediate release of all political prisoners in Venezuela
By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – The Government of Venezuela announced on Monday that over 100 political prisoners have been released in Venezuela over a week after the seizure and rendition of President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas by the US President Donald Trump.
Independent UN human rights investigators said in a press release on Monda that “Any step that restores liberty to individuals who have been arbitrarily detained is significant for those concerned and for their families.”
The Human Rights Council-mandated Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela estimated that there are 800 political prisoners in the country and said the partial release fell short of the Government’s human rights obligations for their immediate and unconditional release.
The move came as Venezuela is adapting to new leadership under Acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
UN human rights office has called on the Venezuelan authorities and the United States to ensure full respect for international law and has expressed concern over further militarization in the country.
The fact-finding mission has extensively documented what it characterized as the widespread and systematic use of arbitrary detention as a tool of repression and reiterated its call for the ‘immediate and unconditional’ release of all political prisoners.
The experts also urged authorities to provide public information about prisoners and bring detention conditions in line with international law, including by immediately halting torture and cruel treatment.
“Relatives must be provided with clear and timely information about the fate, whereabouts, and legal status of their loved ones, as well as guaranteed access and regular visits,” they said.
The investigators said they had received information about armed colectivos, or Government-backed armed groups, who have been reportedly patrolling cities and intimidating the population since the US operation, while fresh arrests have been made during the crisis for those expressing dissenting political opinions.
The independent fact-finding mission for Venezuela has cited multiple rights violations since it was established in 2019.
The fact finding team in its investigation contested presidential elections in 2024, the mission’s findings included arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances and torture.
The mission said the authorities had failed to comply with recommendations to investigate human rights violations and implement measures to prevent their reoccurrence.
Investigators also found that during the peak of protests in 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2024, officials of Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Guard used excessive force, including the improper use of lethal and less-lethal weapons, among other violations.
