What is the story about?
Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez has proposed to impose an "amnesty law" for prisoners in the country, and aims at reforming the country after years of authoritarian rule under Nicolas Maduro.
"May it be a law that serves to heal the wounds left by political confrontation, violence, and extremism. May it serve to restore justice in our country and restore peaceful coexistence among Venezuelans,” Rodriguez said at an event at the Supreme Court of Justice.
Along with this, the country's notorious Helicoide detention centre will be turned into a sporting complex and a centre for social services.
The law seeks to improve the lives of thousands of inmates who are in jail, as well as former prisoners who have already been conditionally released. The new law will cover cases running from 1999 until today, but will exclude those who may have participated in killings, serious abuses of human rights and drug trafficking, Rodriguez said.
The Helicoide prison, known for prisoner abuse and a symbol of alleged government repression, will be dismantled and converted into a sports complex.
A 2022 United Nations report claimed that Venezuela's state security agency used the prison complex, originally designed as a mall, for torture.
Families and rights advocates have long demanded that charges and convictions against detainees who are considered political prisoners be dropped. Opposition politicians, dissident members of the security services, journalists and rights activists are often subject to charges like terrorism and treason, which their families say are unjust and arbitrary.
Rights group Foro Penal welcomed the announcement "with optimism, but with caution" in a statement, adding it hopes the law will contribute to justice, freedom, peace and national reconciliation. The group said that current prisoner releases announced earlier this month should continue while the law is being approved. It has tallied 711 remaining political prisoners.
Foro Penal says it has verified 303 political prisoners have been let go since the government announced a new series of releases on January 8.
Government officials - who deny holding political prisoners and say those jailed have committed crimes - have said more than 600 people have been released, but have not been clear about the timeline and appear to be including releases from previous years. The government has never provided an official list of how many prisoners will be released nor who they are.
With inputs from agencies
"May it be a law that serves to heal the wounds left by political confrontation, violence, and extremism. May it serve to restore justice in our country and restore peaceful coexistence among Venezuelans,” Rodriguez said at an event at the Supreme Court of Justice.
Along with this, the country's notorious Helicoide detention centre will be turned into a sporting complex and a centre for social services.
What will be new?
The law seeks to improve the lives of thousands of inmates who are in jail, as well as former prisoners who have already been conditionally released. The new law will cover cases running from 1999 until today, but will exclude those who may have participated in killings, serious abuses of human rights and drug trafficking, Rodriguez said.
The Helicoide prison, known for prisoner abuse and a symbol of alleged government repression, will be dismantled and converted into a sports complex.
A 2022 United Nations report claimed that Venezuela's state security agency used the prison complex, originally designed as a mall, for torture.
Families and rights advocates have long demanded that charges and convictions against detainees who are considered political prisoners be dropped. Opposition politicians, dissident members of the security services, journalists and rights activists are often subject to charges like terrorism and treason, which their families say are unjust and arbitrary.
'Optimism but with caution'
Rights group Foro Penal welcomed the announcement "with optimism, but with caution" in a statement, adding it hopes the law will contribute to justice, freedom, peace and national reconciliation. The group said that current prisoner releases announced earlier this month should continue while the law is being approved. It has tallied 711 remaining political prisoners.
Foro Penal says it has verified 303 political prisoners have been let go since the government announced a new series of releases on January 8.
Government officials - who deny holding political prisoners and say those jailed have committed crimes - have said more than 600 people have been released, but have not been clear about the timeline and appear to be including releases from previous years. The government has never provided an official list of how many prisoners will be released nor who they are.
With inputs from agencies
