Venezuelan prison director sacked as inmates allege mistreatment
3 hours ago
Vanessa Buschschlüter
Latin America editor, News Online
'We want justice': Inmates in Venezuela occupy prison alleging prison abuse
The director of a prison in the Venezuelan state of Barinas has been sacked after violent clashes between security forces and inmates protesting over their alleged mistreatment.
Elvis Macuare Guerrero, who had been in charge of the penitentiary for just a week, was dismissed on Monday, state officials said.
Prisoners had accused him of stopping family visits and punishing them by keeping them in solitary confinement. Macuare has not publicly commented.
Organisations lobbying for prisoners' rights have long denounced the poor conditions at many of Venezuela's penitentiaries.
'We want justice': Inmates in Venezuela occupy prison alleging prison abuse
The director of a prison in the Venezuelan state of Barinas has been sacked after violent clashes between security forces and inmates protesting over their alleged mistreatment.
Elvis Macuare Guerrero, who had been in charge of the penitentiary for just a week, was dismissed on Monday, state officials said.
Prisoners had accused him of stopping family visits and punishing them by keeping them in solitary confinement. Macuare has not publicly commented.
Organisations lobbying for prisoners' rights have long denounced the poor conditions at many of Venezuela's penitentiaries.
Federico PARRA / AFP via Getty Images
Relatives have been congregating outside the prison, anxious for news
The prosecutor's office has announced an investigation after prisoners at the jail in Barinas, which is known as Injuba, alleged that the director had ordered violent searches of their cells and kept them in solitary confinement.
They also said they had been subjected to beatings and "torture".
The inmates said that their complaints had gone unheard for a week, triggering a protest which saw them climb the prison roof and burn mattresses and bed sheets.
Extra security forces were deployed on Sunday. Witnesses reported hearing explosions and what they said sounded like shots being fired.
In footage published by non-governmental organisation Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP), a man can be seen showing wounds on his torso and his arm, with another man shouting "they're shooting at us".
Others can be heard joining into chants of "we want justice".
On Monday, small groups of inmates remained on the roof, even after the prison director's sacking had been announced.
Meanwhile, more than 100 prisoners were moved by bus to other penitentiaries.
The prosecutor's office has announced an investigation after prisoners at the jail in Barinas, which is known as Injuba, alleged that the director had ordered violent searches of their cells and kept them in solitary confinement.
They also said they had been subjected to beatings and "torture".
The inmates said that their complaints had gone unheard for a week, triggering a protest which saw them climb the prison roof and burn mattresses and bed sheets.
Extra security forces were deployed on Sunday. Witnesses reported hearing explosions and what they said sounded like shots being fired.
In footage published by non-governmental organisation Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP), a man can be seen showing wounds on his torso and his arm, with another man shouting "they're shooting at us".
Others can be heard joining into chants of "we want justice".
On Monday, small groups of inmates remained on the roof, even after the prison director's sacking had been announced.
Meanwhile, more than 100 prisoners were moved by bus to other penitentiaries.
Federico PARRA / AFP via Getty Images
Busloads of prisoners were moved from Injuba to other jails
Rights group OVP said that relatives of the inmates had not been given any information about the possible transfers of their loved ones and were growing increasingly anxious.
Rights group OVP said that relatives of the inmates had not been given any information about the possible transfers of their loved ones and were growing increasingly anxious.
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