UN Rapporteur asks the Maduro government to release lawyer Perkins Rocha
The UN rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, urged this Monday the Venezuelan government to release “immediately” to lawyer Perkins Rocha, accused by the authorities of having helped opposition candidates during the last elections in Venezuela.
Rocha was detained by hooded state security agents on August 27, after having worked as a legal advisor to Venezuela’s main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD).
The lawyer was detained at an unknown location until he appeared in court, after which he was transferred to the El Helicoide penitentiary center.
According to the expert, This “kidnapping, detention and procedure” by the Venezuelan authorities could constitute retaliation for having helped the candidates of the opposition during the elections.
“I am seriously concerned that he may have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment while his whereabouts were unknown,” Satterthwaite said in a statement.
“Rocha’s case appears to be the last in a series of similar cases directed against those who expressed their opposition to the current government through democratic means,” said the expert.
Given this situation, he urged the Venezuelan authorities to allow Rocha to meet with his lawyer and be immediately released from his arbitrary detention so that he can prepare his defense.
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