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Friday, Dec 28, 2012 10:45 PM UTC

Amnesty sought for 125 Venezuelans jailed, exiled

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Topics: From the Wires,

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan opposition leaders are asking President Hugo Chavez’s government to consider amnesty for 125 people in prison or exile.

Lawmaker Edgar Zambrano says he submitted case files Friday on 80 people in exile and 45 others listed as “political prisoners” to the office of Vice President Nicolas Maduro. A swift response seems unlikely since Chavez is recovering from cancer surgery in Cuba.

Among those on the list is Pedro Carmona, a business leader who temporarily took over the presidency during a failed coup against Chavez in 2002. He fled to Colombia and received asylum there.

Another is Maria Lourdes Afiuni, a judge under house arrest for freeing a banker from prison while he was awaiting trial on charges of flouting currency exchange controls.

The government denies Venezuela has political prisoners.

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Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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