The United Platform of Venezuela, which brings together the main opposition parties, has urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, to visit political prisoners during his visit to the South American country.
«Hopefully this visit will bring the release of the more than 240 prisoners, including civilians and military, men and women», said opposition member Adriana Pichardo, who warned in a statement of cases such as those of Igber Marín Chaparro, on hunger strike for more than two months, and Roland Carreño.
Turk, who took office in the middle of last year, arrives in Venezuela after several days of visit to Colombia. His trip coincides with the debate opened by the approval of a law which, according to the opposition, seeks to «persecute» NGOs, for which reason he is also asked to condemn «this arbitrary decision».
«We reject that they want to persecute and harass NGOs that, on many occasions, are a relief for thousands of Venezuelans because of the humanitarian work they carry out,» said Pichardo, a member of the National Assembly elected at the end of 2015 in Venezuela.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
