Latest news with #torture
Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
El Salvador torture claims emerge as Farage eyes prisoner deal
El Salvador has been accused of torturing prisoners after Reform pledged to send Britain's worst offenders to the central American country. Venezuela announced last night that it had launched a probe into torture claims by 252 prisoners that they were beaten, sexually abused and fed rotten food. Tarek William Saab, Venezuela's attorney general, said he had spoken to some prisoners who feared they may not make it out of the prison alive. He presented photos of bruised detainees, some of whom had missing teeth. It comes after Nigel Farage said he saw 'no reason' why El Salvador would not take Britain's worst offenders as part of a five-year plan to halve crime rates. The policy is modelled on a similar idea by Donald Trump, who has paid El Salvador billions of dollars to house offenders. The Reform UK leader told a press conference on Monday: 'I haven't spoken to El Salvador yet, but we do know they're quite happy to take American violent offenders, so I don't see any reason why [not]. They want the money, they want the income.' El Salvador has not commented on Reform's plans. The country's prisons are renowned for their strict measures, which includes lining up hundreds of gang members and packing them into crowded jail cells. In some cases, prisoners have reportedly only been allowed to leave their prison cells for 30 minutes a day. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Mr Saab said Venezuela's prosecutor's office had interviewed returning migrants, many of whom had spoken about being held in 'inhumane cells'. Others said they have been deprived of sunlight and ventilation, and given rotten food and unsafe drinking water. The men also claimed that they were given no access to lawyers or their relatives, and the last time many of them were seen was when Nayib Bukele's government issued photos of them arriving at the prison shackled and with their heads shorn. Many of the prisoners had been accused by the US of being gang members before they were flown to El Salvador in March under a wartime law invoked by Mr Trump, allowing him to deport them without court hearings. Mr Saab said the Venezuelan investigation would target Bukele and other Salvadoran officials for alleged crimes against humanity. Venezuela has faced its own criticism over its treatment of prisoners, with similar allegations of torturing prisoners and denying them access to legal representation. Reform's plan, which involves buying 10,000 foreign prison places over five years, would require the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights. Asked about the human rights records of El Salvador prisons, Mr Farage said: 'We are not going to send people for trial in El Salvador. Let's make that absolutely clear. 'People will be tried in this country, and El Salvador might be quite an extreme example, but the idea that we could send prisoners to Kosovo, to Estonia and everything else is a very, very serious proposal.' Reforms proposed plans come after the Government released thousands of criminals early because of overcrowding in UK jails.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Venezuela to probe El Salvador's Bukele for ‘torture' of US deportees
Venezuela has launched an investigation into the role El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and his senior officials played in the alleged torture of 252 migrants who were detained in the Central American country after being deported from the United States. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab made the announcement in Caracas on Monday, as he presented photos and testimonies of some of the men, who said they were beaten, sexually abused and fed rotten food while inside a notorious El Salvador prison. Others were denied medical care or treated without anaesthesia, Saab said, urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Human Rights Council to act. The Venezuelans were sent to El Salvador from the US in March, after US President Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang without due process. The deportations drew fierce criticism from human rights groups and a legal battle with the Trump administration. Family members and lawyers of many of the men deny they had gang ties. Prisoner swap The former detainees arrived near Caracas on Friday following their release in El Salvador, in exchange for 10 US citizens and political prisoners held in Venezuela. Saab said the prosecutor's office was interviewing the returned migrants. Some of the former detainees have since reunited with their families, but they have not yet returned to their own homes. Several had bruises on their bodies, marks of being shot with rubber bullets, and one had a split lip. Andry Hernandez Romero, a 32-year-old beautician among those sent to El Salvador, said he barely survived the ordeal. 'We were going through torture, physical aggressions, psychological aggressions,' he said in a video presented by Saab. 'I was sexually abused.' Others spoke of being held in 'inhuman cells', deprived of sunlight and ventilation, and given rotten food and unsafe drinking water while in the El Salvador prison. The men had no access to lawyers or their relatives, and the last time many of them were seen was when Bukele's government issued photos of them arriving at the prison shackled and with their heads shorn. Apart from Bukele, Venezuela will investigate El Salvador's Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro and Head of Prisons Osiris Luna Meza, Saab said. Bukele's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the media. Late on Monday, Bukele posted about the return on social media but did not comment on the abuse allegations. 'The Maduro regime was satisfied with the swap deal; that's why they accepted it,' he said on X. 'Now they scream their outrage, not because they disagree with the deal but because they just realised they ran out of hostages from the most powerful country in the world.' President Nicolas Maduro, on his TV show on Monday, claimed Bukele had tried 'last minute' to prevent the migrants from leaving. 'You could not stop the first plane, but for the second plane he put some car on the runway … to provoke either an accident or prevent them from leaving,' he said. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado labelled the process as an 'exchange of prisoners of war' during a television interview on Monday. Venezuela itself faces an investigation by the ICC in The Hague, with similar allegations of torturing prisoners and denying them access to legal representation of political prisoners.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Venezuela says migrants were tortured in Salvadoran prison
Venezuela announced a probe Monday into torture claims by 252 migrants the United States had sent to a notorious Salvadoran prison where they said they were beaten, sexually abused and fed rotten food. Attorney General Tarek William Saab presented photos and testimonies at a news conference in Caracas of some of the men, who said they had feared not making it out alive. Several had bruises on their bodies, marks of being shot with rubber bullets, and one had a split lip. Andry Hernandez Romero, a 32-year-old beautician among those sent to the notorious CECOT prison as part of US President Donald Trump's migrant crackdown, said he barely survived the ordeal. "We were going through torture, physical aggressions, psychological aggressions," he said in a video presented by Saab. "I was sexually abused." Saab said the prosecutor's office was interviewing the returned migrants. Many spoke of being held in "inhuman cells," deprived of sunlight and ventilation, and given rotten food and unsafe drinking water. The men had no access to lawyers or their relatives, and the last time many of them were seen was when President Nayib Bukele's government issued photos of them arriving at the prison shackled and with their heads shorn. - 'Mom, it's Mervin' - By Monday afternoon, the migrants had not yet been reunited with their families. Officials said they were undergoing medical exams, being issued with new Venezuelan ID cards, and interviewed by the prosecutor's office. Mercedes Yamarte, 46, told AFP she was preparing a welcome party for her 29-year-old son Mervin -- one of the men released from the prison Bukele built as part of his mass anti-gang crackdown. She had put up balloons, banners and prepared food at their home in a poor neighborhood of Maracaibo in northern Venezuela, but had no idea when to expect him. At lunchtime on Monday, she received a call, and heard the words: "Mom, it's Mervin." "I hadn't heard my son's voice in four months and seven days, listening to him was a joy, a joy I cannot describe," she told AFP. - Crimes against humanity - The men were accused in the United States of being gang members and flown in March to El Salvador, after Trump invoked rarely used wartime laws to deport the men without court hearings. Their treatment elicited an international outcry. Saab said the Venezuelan investigation would target Bukele and other Salvadoran officials for alleged crimes against humanity. And he urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Human Rights Council to act. The men were freed last Friday and flown back home in what the Trump administration said was an exchange for 10 Americans or US residents and dozens of "political prisoners" held in Venezuela. President Nicolas Maduro on his TV show Monday claimed Bukele had tried "last minute" to prevent the migrants from leaving. "You could not stop the first plane, but for the second plane he put some car on the runway... to provoke either an accident or prevent them from leaving," he said. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado labeled the process as an "exchange of prisoners of war" during a television interview Monday. Venezuela itself faces an investigation by the ICC in The Hague, with similar allegations of torturing prisoners and denying them access to legal representation. Hundreds of people are held for political reasons in Venezuela, according to rights group Foro Penal. Some 2,400 people were arrested, 28 killed and 200 injured in a crackdown on protests that broke out last July after Maduro claimed victory in elections he is widely accused of having stolen. On Sunday, Maduro's government insisted negotiations for the migrants' release were held "only with the United States of America" and not "the clown" Bukele. jt/nn/jgc/mtp
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Venezuela says migrants were tortured in Salvadoran prison
The Salvadoran mega-prison was inaugurated in February to house 40,000 inmates under Donald Trump's migrant crackdown policy. (EPA Images pic) CARACAS : Venezuela announced a probe Monday into torture claims by 252 migrants the US had sent to a notorious Salvadoran prison where they said they were beaten, sexually abused and fed rotten food. Attorney general Tarek William Saab presented photos and testimonies at a press conference in Caracas of some of the men, who said they had feared not making it out alive. Several had bruises on their bodies, marks of being shot with rubber bullets, and one had a split lip. Andry Hernandez Romero, a 32-year-old beautician among those sent to the notorious CECOT prison as part of US President Donald Trump's migrant crackdown, said he barely survived the ordeal. 'We were going through torture, physical aggressions, psychological aggressions,' he said in a video presented by Saab. 'I was sexually abused.' Saab said the prosecutor's office was interviewing the returned migrants. Many spoke of being held in 'inhuman cells,' deprived of sunlight and ventilation, and given rotten food and unsafe drinking water. The men had no access to lawyers or their relatives, and the last many of them were seen was when President Nayib Bukele's government issued photos of them arriving at the prison shackled and with their heads shorn. 'Mom, it's Mervin' By Monday afternoon, the migrants had not yet been reunited with their families. Officials said they were undergoing medical exams, being issued with new Venezuelan ID cards, and interviewed by the prosecutor's office. Mercedes Yamarte, 46, told AFP she was preparing a welcome party for her 29-year-old son Mervin – one of the men released from the prison Bukele built as part of his mass anti-gang crackdown. She has put up balloons, banners and prepared food at their home in a poor neighbourhood of Maracaibo in northern Venezuela, but has no idea when to expect him. At lunchtime on Monday, she received a call, and heard the words: 'Mom, it's Mervin.' 'I hadn't heard my son's voice in four months and seven days, listening to him was a joy, a joy I cannot describe,' she told AFP. Crimes against humanity The men were accused in the US of being gang members and flown in March to El Salvador, after Trump invoked rarely used wartime laws to deport the men without court hearings. Their treatment elicited an international outcry. Saab said the Venezuelan investigation would target Bukele and other Salvadoran officials for alleged crimes against humanity. And he urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Human Rights Council to act. The men were freed last Friday and flown back home in what the Trump administration said was an exchange for 10 Americans or US residents and dozens of 'political prisoners' held in Venezuela. Venezuela itself faces an investigation by the ICC in The Hague, with similar allegations of torturing prisoners and denying them access to legal representation. Hundreds of people are held for political reasons in Venezuela, according to rights group Foro Penal. Some 2,400 people were arrested, 28 killed and 200 injured in a crackdown on protests that broke out last July after President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in elections he is widely accused of having stolen. On Sunday, Maduro's government insisted negotiations for the migrants' release were held 'only with the United States of America' and not 'the clown' Bukele.
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Venezuelans deported from the US 'tortured' in El Salvador prison
Venezuela has announced an investigation into claims migrants sent to an El Salvador prison from the US suffered human rights than 250 Venezuelans were repatriated to near Caracas on Friday. They had been detained in El Salvador since March following their deportation from the United Attorney General Tarek William Saab said there had been "systemic torture" inside the prison, which included sexual abuse, daily beatings and rotten prison Salvador is yet to respond to the claims. During a press conference, Saab presented testimonies and images appearing to show detainees with injuries including bruising and missing teeth. These claims have not been independently verified by the BBC. Venezuela will investigate El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro and Head of Prisons Osiris Luna attorney general urged the International Criminal Court (ICC), the UN Human Rights Council and relevant bodies in the Americas to "do the same". Venezuela is currently facing an investigation by the ICC in The Hague for allegations similar to those the country is levelling at El Salvador, including torturing prisoners and denying them access to legal representation. The Venezuelans were deported in March under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which gives a US president power to detain and deport natives or citizens of "enemy" nations without usual processes. They were accused of belonging to a gang, something many of the men's relatives and lawyers were held in the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT, which was originally built to hold accused gang group did not have access to lawyers or their relatives, and were last seen in photos issued by Bukele's government which pictured them arriving in handcuffs with their heads shaved, which sparked international were released mid-July by El Salvador in exchange for US nationals held in Venezuela, with a senior Trump administration official telling reporters that they extended their "deep,deep gratitude" to Bukele for facilitating the deal. The US has imposed heavy sanctions on Venezuela, and in May the Supreme Court ruled that the Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan nationals could be revoked, affecting about 350,000 people.
