At least 80 political prisoners were freed across the country over the weekend following pressure from the United States, a prominent Venezuelan rights organisation, Foro Penal, said.
The group’s director, Alfredo Romero, said his team is still verifying identities and that further releases are likely.
“The number could rise more than 80 as we proceed with verification,” Foro Penal lawyer Gonzalo Himiob wrote on X.
The releases come after the U.S. arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month and transferred him to New York to face drug-trafficking charges.
On Friday, interim President Delcy Rodríguez claimed more than 600 prisoners had been freed, a figure Foro Penal says is exaggerated.
Romero announced the latest releases on social media, posting an image of fellow Foro Penal member Kennedy Tejeda, whom he said had been held at Tocorón prison since August 2024.
The group has warned that many of those freed in recent weeks have not had charges dropped, leaving them in legal limbo and barred from speaking publicly.
Before the latest developments, Foro Penal had confirmed the release of 156 political prisoners since 8 January, including opposition figures and at least five Spanish nationals.
Separately, Rodríguez said she would speak with Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to request UN verification of the release lists.
Human rights organisations have long accused the Venezuelan government of detaining critics to silence dissent, an allegation authorities deny, saying detainees were arrested for criminal offences.
Many were detained following the disputed 2024 presidential election, in which Maduro claimed victory despite opposition challenges and international criticism.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan held talks in Tehran on Monday on bilateral ties and efforts t...
Iran’s Foreign Ministry says it has conveyed its initial position to the United States through Qatar over Washington’s response to Tehr...
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world....
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called a snap election for 29 November in a bid to strengthen his mandate after a fragmented parliament rejected the government's key housing decrees last week amid widespread protests.
King Charles’ younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has launched legal action against Thames Valley Police over his arrest in connection with an investigation into documents allegedly passed to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Telegraph reported on Sunday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment