COMMUNISTS have called for the immediate release of Paraguayan political prisoner Carmen Villalba, saying that her continued detention is illegal.

In an open letter published on Saturday, the signatories argue that keeping her in prison is a breach of her human rights, since she finished serving a 17-year sentence in July this year, having already completed others.

“This situation, if it persists, exposes the Paraguayan state to responsibilities for violation of constitutional guarantees and human rights treaties,” the letter said, demanding her immediate release.