Spain’s El País reports that opposition leader Leopoldo López has been released from jail and is now under house arrest:
Leopoldo López sale de la cárcel
El preso político venezolano Leopoldo López, de 46 años, ha salido de la cárcel de Ramo Verde. López, detenido desde febrero de 2014, ha pasado a arresto domiciliario y se encuentra en su casa desde la madrugada de este sábado, según ha confirmado a EL PAÍS el español Javier Cremades, uno de sus abogados. El opositor venezolano ha vuelto a su domicilio sin aceptar ninguna condición para su regreso, informa Cremades. La nueva medida —que en Venezuela se conoce como “casa por cárcel”— coincide con tres meses de intensísimas protestas contra el régimen de Nicolás Maduro en las que han muerto 89 personas.
My translation:
Venezuelan political prisoner Leopoldo López, age 46, has come out of Ramo Verde prison . López, jailed since February 2014, is now under house arrest at his home, where he arrived at dawn on Saturday, as his Spanish lawyer Javier Cremades confirmed to EL PAÍS. The Venezuelan opposition leader returned home without having accepted any conditions for his release, according to Cremades. This new measure – known in Venezuela as “house for jail” – coincides with three months of very intense protests against Nicolás Maduro’s regime which left 89 dead.
The Venezuelan Supreme Court confirmed granting the house arrest in this tweet,
Sala Penal del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia otorga arresto domiciliario a Leopoldo López https://t.co/6EIPxogo0P pic.twitter.com/EVGJDoRLzT
— TSJ Venezuela (@TSJ_Venezuela) July 8, 2017
Human rights advocate Thor Halvorssen posted on Facebook,
After more than 1235 days in solitary confinement in a military prison LEOPOLDO LOPEZ IS RELEASED AND IS NOW UNDER HOUSE ARREST. A heartfelt thank you to those who have cared, and who have kept the pressure on the Venezuelan dictatorship. This is a good day, a very good day.
Here’s Halvorssen’s Human Rights Foundation press release.
UPDATE
OAS head Luis Almagro demands the release of all Venezuelan political prisoners,
“@leopoldolopez‘s house arrest is only a first step. We demand the release of all political prisoners!!”
La prision domiciliaria d @leopoldolopez es solo un primer paso. Exigimos liberación d todos los presos políticos!! https://t.co/HJkkYNe0yS
— Luis Almagro (@Almagro_OEA2015) July 8, 2017
9:50 AM:
WaPo now has the story.
Don’t miss Affinity Magazine’s post.
You can watch La Patilla’s live feed on YouTube; they are at López’s house. [watch below the fold]
