VENEZUELA: Student demonstrators enter tenth day of hunger strike to call for investigation into political prisoners

Record ID: 339430

  • Title: VENEZUELA: Student demonstrators enter tenth day of hunger strike to call for investigation into political prisoners
  • Date: 10th February 2011
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FEBRUARY 9, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STUDENTS IN HUNGER STRIKE OUTSIDE THE OFFICE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) POSTERS AND SLOGANS STUCK TO THE WALLS VARIOUS OF LORENS SALE, STUDENT ON HUNGER STRIKE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LORENS SALE, STUDENT ON HUNGER STRIKE, SAYING: "What are we asking for? Respect for Venezuelan dissidents. What
  • Embargoed: 25th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA22PJHA1HSG573K22AWBOKQAJ0
  • Story Text: Twelve Venezuelan students marked the 10th day of a hunger strike on Wednesday (February 9) as they call for an investigation into political prisoners being held under the government of President Hugo Chavez.
    The students protested outside the Caracas headquarters of the Organisation of American States (OAS) as they called on the secretary general of the group, Jose Miguel Insulza, to verify the status of 27 alleged political prisoners in the country.
    Student protester Lorens Sale said Insulza had gone back on a promise to pay a visit to the country.
    "What are we asking for? Respect for Venezuelan dissidents. What are we asking for? Freedom for political prisoners [and] that political persecution stops. And for this, we are asking the secretary general of the OAS, Mr. Jose Miguel Insulza, to keep his promise. This was an official promise that he made to us and during all these months of not keeping it - this was last year - there have been new political prisoners in Venezuela, political persecution has increased, more protests have been criminalised," said Insulza.
    The students lay on mattresses outside the building, which stands in a wealthy district of Caracas.
    Participating student Carlos Arteaga said they would not stop the strike until Insulza took action and arranged a visit.
    "Today we urge the secretary general of the OAS that if he doesn't come here with a commission composed by the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, we will not end this strike," said Arteaga.
    In Venezuela, the population is polarised between Chavez's supporters and opponents. Last year farmer Franklin Brito died after the several hunger strikes to protest against the government's agricultural policies.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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