(Washington, DC) - Dozens of political prisoners in Venezuela have been held incommunicado for weeks, months and some for over a year, Human Rights Watch and the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Venezuela (Comite por la Libertad de los Presos Politicos, CLIPPVE) said today. "These cases of political prisoners who have been cut off from their families and lawyers are a chilling testament to the brutality of repression in Venezuela," said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. On August 4, 2025, Helicoide authorities restricted families' food and personal deliveries to Fridays, ending daily food and multiple weekly drop-offs. In other cases, prison authorities allowed visits for a period of time and then arbitrarily denied them for weeks or months. Foreign governments should leverage regional and international forums to press for the rights of political prisoners, Human Rights Watch and CLIPPVE said.