CARACAS.- He Nicolás Maduro regime released this Saturday the student from the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), John Alvareza political prisoner since August 30 of this year, who lost vision in his left eye after being a victim of torture during his detention.
At 3:30 pm local time, he was released under precautionary measures., the 24-year-old student, thanks also to the mediation of the rector of the UCV, Víctor Rago; and the deans of the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences, Juan Carlos Apitz, and of Economic and Social Sciences, Luis Angarita.
“The most important thing at this moment is to fight for the freedom of those who remain imprisoned”were Álvarez’s first words addressed to the media, in the company of his parents, the university authorities and students who were waiting for him outside the Control and Protection Center for Detainees of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB), located in La Yaguara, in the west of Caracas, where he was held together with common prisoners.
Tortures
Student John Álvarez was under the power of the Venezuelan regime for 116 days. At the beginning of September he was presented before the 13th Court, with jurisdiction over terrorism, for the same case for which The six union members who were released from prison on December 20 were sentenced to 16 years in prison.. He is accused of conspiracy, criminal association and terrorism.
During his detention, Álvarez was subjected to torture such as electric shocks to the knees, ribs and testicles. He was also beaten with a bat in various parts of his body, after being wrapped with a “bed mattress covered with covers so that he would not leave evidence,” and threatened with a rifle to admit in a video his relationship with the union leaders arrested for demanding his salary demands, according to his lawyer.
Due to the cruel and inhuman treatment he suffered, the young man lost vision in his left eye. and has kidney and mobility problems in his left leg, due to an injury that goes from the buttock to the knee.
Given this, Álvarez stated that his priority is to undergo the relevant medical examinations to take care of his health. Furthermore, he said that he will take advantage of this holiday season to “think, rest and start visiting political prisoners” because “there are some who are very neglected, very abandoned.”
Precautionary measures
Among the precautionary measures that weigh on the university student is the appearance in court every 15 days and the prohibition of leaving the country, according to the information provided by the young man’s relatives to the CNN network in Spanish.
Joel García, the family’s lawyer, celebrated the young man’s release, while highlighting the lack of separation of powers in the South American country. “He is a young student who did not deserve that cruelty. (…) he is innocent of all the crimes accused of him, we welcome the freedom of all Venezuelans who, without committing crimes, are behind bars,” he said, reported by the AFP news agency.
For her part, her mother, Wenderlin Peña, described her release as “a miracle from God” and her father, John Álvarez, stated that it is the “best gift a family can receive at Christmas.”
Source: With information from social networks / CNN in Spanish / AFP
