Baltasar Garzon, former Spanish judge and part of the defense team of Colombian businessman Alex Saab, denounced that the prisoner is allegedly beaten by US officers to force him to accept his extradition to that country after being accused of laundering and corruption.
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The defense team of Alex Saab stated that Saab was beaten inside his cell in Cape Verde as a form of pressure to accept his surrender to US authorities after they announced that he is considering house arrest.
Alex Saab is in a Cape Verde jail since June 12, after being arrested under two US-issued Interpol warrants, one blue (wanted for trial) and one red (arrest on sight).
Garzon is a disgraced former Spanish judge, kicked from the bench several years ago for prevarication after ordering that microphones placed in the cell of a prisoner. As a result, he not only lost his judgeship but cannot practice law in Spain. According to an article published in Miami newspaper El Nuevo Herald, the lawyers said Saab is the victim of a long list of abuses and that the accusations made against him are a “political maneuver” by the Trump administration.
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“The volume of violations of the most elementary rules that should govern this process is already alarming, among which stands out the visit denounced by Saab of US officials to his cell to beat him and force him to accept extradition,” Garzon said in a statement.
The defense did not give more details about the alleged aggressions. But, in an article published in September by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, based on a letter sent from his cell, Saab denounced that the United States “has four native Cape Verdean employees” who entered his cell at night wearing hoods to beat him.
“They beat me up. The purpose of those criminals is that I sign voluntary extradition to the United States and make false declarations against President Maduro and his family. Nor with blood do I sign those lies and slanders against a president who fights to save his people amid an inhumane blockade,” published El Mundo in a quote attributed to Saab.
