A report published by the NGO Human Rights Watch on Wednesday (11/12) found that more than 252 Venezuelans deported to El Salvador, amid mass deportations promoted by US President Donald Trump, reported being subjected to torture and other abuses, including sexual assault, while in detention.
The 81-page report presented a range of accounts of torture and inhumane conditions suffered by Venezuelans, many of whom are asylum seekers.
The report showed that the Venezuelans were held incommunicado in a high-security prison at the Terrorism Detention Center (Sicot) for four months, until July 18, when they were sent to Venezuela as part of a prisoner exchange between the two countries.
With a promise to combat illegal immigration, Donald Trump began his second term by implementing a stricter immigration policy and encouraging mass deportations in the country early this year.
Read also
-
world
Nicolas Maduro will train Venezuelan civilians in weapons
-
world
The Supreme Court paves the way for Trump to deport 350,000 Venezuelans
-
world
Venezuelan asylum seekers demand Lula: “The Brazilian flag is insulted”
-
world
The Trump administration’s reaction after the court blocked the deportation of Venezuelans
The report said 40 people imprisoned in Sicot were interviewed, as well as 150 others with “reliable knowledge of the experiences of Venezuelans detained there, including family members and lawyers.”
The report noted that “the governments of the United States and El Salvador have accused most of these individuals as ‘terrorists’ and members of the Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan organized crime group that the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.”
beating
According to the report, it was documented that detainees were subjected to constant beatings and other forms of ill-treatment, including cases of sexual violence. The organization stated that “many of these violations constitute torture under international human rights law.”
The report noted that “guards and riot police attacked them in the corridors of the prison unit and in a solitary confinement cell in a section of Sikot known as ‘The Island’.”
According to reports, prisoners were attacked during daily searches for alleged violations of prison rules, such as talking loudly to other prisoners, showering outside of permitted hours, or seeking medical care.
Detained Venezuelans reported that they were beaten from the moment they arrived in El Salvador and throughout their detention.
About The Author
