Name: Erika Palacios
Arbitrarily detained: January 4, 2018
Released: June 1, 2018
Place of confinement: Municipal Police of Naguanagua
Occupation: Merchant and social activist
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Erika Palacios was behind bars since January 4, 2018. Erika is mother of 3 children and is a social activist. The crimes attributed to her are: possession of incendiary substances and explosive devices, public incitement, obstruction of public roads and incitement to hatred.
According to her lawyer, Erika manifested symptoms of scabies, toothache and throat damage, without being seen by a doctor. In addition, close relatives reported that she was victim of torture and psychological abuse by police officers.
One of the tortures suffered by Erika was being tied to a desk by custodians of the National Guard, who after mooring her threw buckets of ice for more than four hours.
Erika Palacios is the first woman to be prosecuted for the offenses established in the Anti-Hate Law. Her arrest was made when a neighborhood protest against the government of Nicolás Maduro took place and according to one of her lawyers, the accusation was based on statements by police officials who indicated that Erika had expressed messages of harm against President Maduro.
On June 1, 2018, a measure of the National Constituent Assembly granted her release. Before leaving prison, she was forced to appear before the Truth Commission of that organism.
