This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/09/fernando-alban-death-venezuela-opposition-politician-custody
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Fernando Albán: UN to investigate death in custody of Venezuelan politician | Fernando Albán: UN to investigate death in custody of Venezuelan politician |
| (2 months later) | |
| The United Nations has said it will investigate the death in custody of an opposition councillor jailed by Venezuela’s intelligence police on allegations that he plotted to kill President Nicolás Maduro. | The United Nations has said it will investigate the death in custody of an opposition councillor jailed by Venezuela’s intelligence police on allegations that he plotted to kill President Nicolás Maduro. |
| Venezuelan officials said that Fernando Albán killed himself by leaping from the 10th floor of the state police agency’s headquarters. But opposition leaders denied the official version. | Venezuelan officials said that Fernando Albán killed himself by leaping from the 10th floor of the state police agency’s headquarters. But opposition leaders denied the official version. |
| Ravina Shamdasani with the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Venezuelan officials were obligated to ensure Albán’s safety while in their custody. The investigation into his death will be part of the UN’s wider investigation of alleged human rights abuses, she said. | Ravina Shamdasani with the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Venezuelan officials were obligated to ensure Albán’s safety while in their custody. The investigation into his death will be part of the UN’s wider investigation of alleged human rights abuses, she said. |
| “We are concerned about news of his death,” Shamdasani said. “We do indeed call for a transparent investigation to clarify the circumstances.” | “We are concerned about news of his death,” Shamdasani said. “We do indeed call for a transparent investigation to clarify the circumstances.” |
| Albán, 56, was taken into custody on Friday at Caracas’s international airport upon arriving from New York, according to his lawyer. He was in the US accompanying other members of his First Justice party for meetings with foreign dignitaries attending the United Nations general assembly. | Albán, 56, was taken into custody on Friday at Caracas’s international airport upon arriving from New York, according to his lawyer. He was in the US accompanying other members of his First Justice party for meetings with foreign dignitaries attending the United Nations general assembly. |
| A few dozen of Albán’s supporters gathered outside the police building yelling “Maduro killer!” contending that he had been murdered. | A few dozen of Albán’s supporters gathered outside the police building yelling “Maduro killer!” contending that he had been murdered. |
| “There’s no doubt this was an assassination,” the opposition leader Julio Borges said in a video from exile in neighbouring Colombia, without providing evidence of his claim. “The only thing left for this government is torture, violence and destruction.” | “There’s no doubt this was an assassination,” the opposition leader Julio Borges said in a video from exile in neighbouring Colombia, without providing evidence of his claim. “The only thing left for this government is torture, violence and destruction.” |
| While Venezuelans last year saw dozens of youths killed in violent street battles with security forces, the death of activists or government opponents while in state custody is a fate more associated with the far deadlier, rightwing dictatorships that dominated much of South America in the 1970s. | While Venezuelans last year saw dozens of youths killed in violent street battles with security forces, the death of activists or government opponents while in state custody is a fate more associated with the far deadlier, rightwing dictatorships that dominated much of South America in the 1970s. |
| The opposition claims that more than 100 Venezuelans opposed to Maduro are being held as “political prisoners”, some for more than four years, with little access to the outside world and their legal rights routinely trampled on. The government denies they are political prisoners. | The opposition claims that more than 100 Venezuelans opposed to Maduro are being held as “political prisoners”, some for more than four years, with little access to the outside world and their legal rights routinely trampled on. The government denies they are political prisoners. |
| Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro survives apparent assassination attempt | |
| Borges, who led the delegation to the UN, said Albán’s wife told him that her husband had been under intense pressure to testify against him in the ongoing investigation into the alleged plot in early August to kill Maduro using two drones loaded with explosives. | Borges, who led the delegation to the UN, said Albán’s wife told him that her husband had been under intense pressure to testify against him in the ongoing investigation into the alleged plot in early August to kill Maduro using two drones loaded with explosives. |
| More than two dozen people have been jailed on suspicion of involvement in the plot, which Maduro claims was orchestrated by Borges with the support of Colombia and the US. | More than two dozen people have been jailed on suspicion of involvement in the plot, which Maduro claims was orchestrated by Borges with the support of Colombia and the US. |
| The chief prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Albán’s death, which he classified as a suicide. | The chief prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Albán’s death, which he classified as a suicide. |
| ISpeaking on state TV, he said Albán was in the waiting room of the headquarters of Venezuela’s intelligence police waiting to be transferred to a courthouse when he asked to use the bathroom. He then threw himself from the 10th floor of the building, officials said. | ISpeaking on state TV, he said Albán was in the waiting room of the headquarters of Venezuela’s intelligence police waiting to be transferred to a courthouse when he asked to use the bathroom. He then threw himself from the 10th floor of the building, officials said. |
| Borges, who said Albán was a personal friend, said the councillor – who represented a district in the Caracas area – was a family man and devout Catholic who would never kill himself. | Borges, who said Albán was a personal friend, said the councillor – who represented a district in the Caracas area – was a family man and devout Catholic who would never kill himself. |
| Albán’s lawyer, Joel García, said his client seemed calm when they met on the night before in the tribunal. García said authorities cannot determine that a death is a suicide without an investigation and he would ask to be present at the autopsy. | Albán’s lawyer, Joel García, said his client seemed calm when they met on the night before in the tribunal. García said authorities cannot determine that a death is a suicide without an investigation and he would ask to be present at the autopsy. |
| Venezuela | Venezuela |
| Americas | Americas |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |