Venezuela: Judge Afiuni’s detention UPDATED

Judge María Lourdes Afiuni Mora has been in detention since 2009 without trial; she has now written a book detailing the horrors of her imprisonment, during which she was tortured and raped while in jail. She was moved from prison to house arrest in February 2010.

The book is titled, Chavez me puso presa. Habla la juez Maria Lourdes Afiuni (Chavez Imprisoned Me. Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni Speaks.)

Venezuelan blogger Miguel Octavio posts, With Afiuni’s Case, Chavez’ Revolution Shows Lack Of Compassion And Scruples

What was not known to the public, but the Government and the UN were informed of, was that Judge Afiuni was tortured and raped while initially incarcerated at INOF in Los Teques. This was only publicly revealed this week, as a book was published with Afiuni’s story. The story is no surprise, Venezuela’s penitentiary system has become a terror story of how human beings are treated with less respect than animals at the country’s jails. What is sad is that Afiuni also had to suffer this additional violation of her rights as a human being to satisfy Chavez’ whims and that despite her suffering, nobody in the Chavez Government showed any form of compassion towards her.

But it gets worse.while the Minister for Women says that it has to be investigated and “if true” her rights have to be guaranteed (about time!), the former Head of INOF who goes by the name of Isabel Gonzalez tries to turn it around against Afiuni and says (without any support) that she will sue Afuini, because it is all false and her accusations violate human dignity”. They also now deny that the accusation was presented to the UN, which her lawyer clearly says was done and today Maria Corina Machado publicly scolds Chavez, because he knew the reality of what had happened to Afiuni.

I failed to mention this courageous woman’s ordeal in this morning’s podcast; the fact remains that Chavez continues to repress all opposition prior to the December 16 elections for state governors and state legislators.

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UPDATE,

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced plans to travel to Cuba as early as Tuesday for more medical treatment, even when earlier this year he had declared himself “cured”.
(h/t D.)

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