Caracas, Venezuela — More than 700 protesters have been transferred to maximum security prisons following the disputed presidential election in Venezuela, a human rights group said. The Venezuelan Prisons Observatory said on Saturday the detainees, who had been held in different police stations since their arrest, were sent to the prisons of Tocuyito and Tocoron over the past week.
Controversial transfers in spotlight
The transfers have been mired in controversy due to the secrecy and lack of consultation with the detainees’ families concerning these transfers. According to the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory, several of these relatives were not even aware of the moves, which were even carried out under dubious conditions. With that in mind, the VPO had characterized the process as tainted with irregularities at every turn, thereby giving even greater cause for alarm regarding how the detainees in question are being treated.
Mass Arrests Following Post-Election Protests
Those arrests came amid protests across the country after President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner of the disputed July 28 election. The opposition, insistent it had won by a wide margin, accused the government of electoral fraud. But so far, the administration of President Maduro has failed to publish detailed voting results despite international calls for transparency.International Reaction and Rising Tensions
The United States, the European Union and a number of Latin American countries have refused to acknowledge the election results, calling for a complete recount. Post-election violence has left 27 people dead and 192 injured. In this wake of violence, there have been 2,400 detentions against which 1,581 detainees have been labeled political prisoners by the advocacy group Penal Forum.Concern for Young Detainees
The situation is grimmer for the 114 minors among those arrested-some of whom were only 13 years old-who were moved to maximum-security prisons used to hold criminal adults. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado joined Kiko in criticizing the government’s actions, describing them as “brutal.” On Saturday, Penal Forum legal aid group announced that 18 of the youths were released on bail, raising the total number of youths set free at 34.
The mass transfer of protesters to maximum-security prisons underlines the lingering political crisis in Venezuela. As much as the international community mounts pressure, the fates of those detained remain uncertain, further underlining the growing chasm between the government and its opponents.