Anthropology student Jhon Kelvin Álvarez in a picture from his social networks.
The Venezuelan authorities deprived him of his freedom and put the young university student John Kelvin Álvarez on trial for his alleged association with the group of six trade unionists accused of terrorism and association to commit a crime. After a brief offending, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison on trial. Last month. Álvarez, 24, an anthropology student at the Central University of Venezuela, was reported missing on August 30 and his relatives learned the next day that he had been arrested by police. He was arrested on Avenida Bolívar, near the Palace of Justice in the center of the city, apparently displaying protest posters with Venezuelan and Ukrainian flags. As with the convicted union leaders, the authorities informed the defense that there had been an arrest warrant against Álvarez since 2022 for alleged terrorist activities. The evidence against him would be supported by a case by the Military Counterintelligence Directorate, Dgcim.
Joel García and Eduardo Torres, Álvarez’s defense attorneys, alleged that the student was tortured and ill-treated by the police officers who interrogated him, and that they stole his belongings – a very common procedure used by the Chavismo police in their repressive procedures – and that they forced him to record a video in which he himself expressed his solidarity with the imprisoned trade unionists and described their terrorist activities.
The young man’s mother, accompanied by lawyers, explained in front of the ombudsman’s office in the center of Caracas that her son received “several intelligent blows that were not intended to leave any marks and that they applied electricity to his testicles, ribs and knees.” . “I would like to call on Ombudsman Alfredo Ruiz to do everything in his power. “If he is here, it is only to prevent this.” Álvarez himself reported that during the interrogation he was hit on the head with a baseball bat covered by a blanket and hit by a door.
Spokesperson for the National Trade Union Coalitiona group of civil activists, also denounced the torture of Álvarez, saying that the video available to Venezuelan police linking him to union leader Carlos Salazar – a coalition member they are also believed to want to prosecute – “was made by the force”. The leadership of the coalition holds the Attorney General Tarek William Saab and the Minister of the Interior and Justice Remigio Ceballos responsible for the freedom and physical integrity of Álvarez. Neither the authorities nor the politicians or opposition parties have yet commented on this case.
The rectorate authorities of the Central University of Venezuela issued a statement expressing “concern” over the arrest of Álvarez, who is also a member of the university dining hall users committee. The text, signed by the new principal Victor Rago, states: “The circumstances of the incident are far from clear. There is no official information from the Ministry of Public Power and the presentation of the bachelor Álvarez before the Control Court as to whether he is accused of a crime, which should have been done before the expiry of the period of 48 hours from his arrest. “We demand that the Authorities guarantee the physical, psychological and moral integrity of high school graduate John Kelvin Álvarez, in accordance with Article 46 of the National Constitution, and strictly adhere to the rules of the rule of law,” the text concludes.
The non-governmental organization Provea – the Venezuelan education and action program for human rights – one of the most important in the country, also criticized the criminalization of Álvarez, denouncing in a statement that the measure “is part of a pattern of harassment of students and union leaders.” , politicians, non-governmental organizations and the entire Venezuelan civil society.” “Faced with demands for rights, starvation wages and lack of democracy, they are trying to close civic space,” they add. On his Twitter account, Provea considers it “very important” that the International Criminal Court takes note of the violations and excesses committed in Venezuela and continues its investigation.
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