(Washington, DC) – Venezuela’s new amnesty law has serious shortcomings that exclude many people who have been arbitrarily detained and is being applied in ways that may deny release to people who should be eligible, Human Rights Watch said today.  The law is ostensibly an effort to help Venezuela move forward from years of political repression under former President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuelan authorities  say that more than 8,600 people, including over 300 who had been imprisoned, have benefited from the law, though without providing a list. However, many opposition members, journalists, and human rights defenders who had been arbitrarily detained have been excluded. At least  457 political prisoners remain behind bars, according to the human rights group Foro Penal  “Venezuela’s new amnesty law falls notably short of ensuring the release of anyone arbitrarily detained for political reasons,” said  Juanita Goebertus Estrada , Americas director at Human Rights Watch.…