Venezuelan prisoners strike over poor conditions

A prison watchdog group in Venezuela said thousands of inmates in seven prisons are on a hunger strike demanding improved conditions.

Humberto Prado of the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory said the hunger strike was organised by inmates in response to clashes last week in Tocoron prison that officials said left 16 dead and 35 wounded.

Mr Prado told reporters that many inmates began the protest in solidarity with prisoners in Tocoron and to press for various demands.

Nenci Villalobos, the public ombudsman for Aragua state where Tocoron is located, told the state news agency that about 5,000 inmates at that prison agreed to end their hunger strike after officials agreed to some of their demands.