Urgent Action Outcome: Woman Detainee Finally Receives Medical Care

In late July 2023, Emirlendris Benítez was finally transferred to a medical facility where she was diagnosed and received treatment for a number of health conditions she suffers from as a result of torture and inhumane prison conditions whilst she’s been in custody of the state. Emirlendris has been arbitrarily detained since 5 August 2018 and is currently serving an unfair 30-year prison sentence at the INOF centre at Los Teques, Caracas, Venezuela. We continue demanding her immediate and unconditional release.

NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.

Emirlendris Benitez is a Venezuelan mother, sister, and tradeswoman. She is 42 years old and has spent five years unfairly imprisoned. Since her arrest, she has been a victim of countless human rights violations including arbitrary detention, torture, gender-based violence, discrimination, unfair trial, and inhumane conditions of detention. She is an example of the Venezuelan government’s terrifying policy of repression that extends beyond those who publicly express criticism of the authorities. 

In custody, she was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment while pregnant. A few weeks after her arrest, she was forcibly transferred to a medical facility and her pregnancy was terminated without her knowledge or consent. The torture she was subjected to left her needing the long-term use of a wheelchair for mobility and the inhumane prison conditions have further harmed her health. Urgently needed medical care was repeatedly delayed and denied during her imprisonment. After two urgent actions and global mobilisation on her behalf, authorities finally granted her access to a doctor and treatment.

Emirlendris has been detained on discriminatory grounds after a flawed trial that did not meet international standards of fair trial, rendering her detention and prison sentence arbitrary. Amnesty International will continue campaigning for her immediate and unconditional release and, for as long as she remains unfairly detained, we’ll demand authorities guarantee her personal integrity.