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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 132 of 190 first step in a witch-hunt across the country. 552 During the protests of the 6 and 7 February 2014 in San Cristobal, which was strongly condemned by several NGOs, student Reinaldo Manrique was among the arrested.553 He was then (and continues to be) a student leader and a member of the Student Body at Catholic University from Táchira. Following his public denounciation of the disproportionate repression on which the National Guard and the Security Forces were engaging, he was arrested by the SEBIN along with his brother, Leonardo Manrique. They were accused of vandalising the Governor’s house. 554 However, when the incidents allegedly took place, Reinaldo was at a meeting with the Governor’s wife, negotiating the ending of the protests.555 The detention of the Manrique brothers was immediately criticised by several Venezuelan NGOs, including Fundeci, Fundepro, Foro Penal Venezolano and Una Ventana a La Libertad.556 The court hearing of the Manrique brothers was made in a military base, despite them being civilians.557 They were kept incommunicado and sent to a prison in another city.558 ii) Christian Holdack A few days later, on 12 February 2014, student Christian Holdack was arrested by the national investigative police (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas, CICPC) while filming an anti-government demonstration in Caracas.559 552 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. (2014) Venezuela: El arresto del alcalde Ceballos podría ser el inicio de una “caza de brujas.” 553 ARRÁIZ, L.E. (2014) Ascienden a cinco el número de estudiantes detenidos en Táchira 554 CNN. (2014) Denuncian detenciones arbitrarias de estudiantes en Venezuela. CNN Espaniol. [Online] 10 February 555 NTN24. (2014) Padre de Reinaldo Manrique asegura que su hijo no hizo parte de la manifestaciones en Táchira, Venezuela. Nuestras Tele Noticias. [Online] 1 July. Available from: http://www.ntn24web.com/video/padre-de-reinaldo-manrique-asegura-que-su-hijo-no-hizo-parte-de- la-manifestaciones-en-tachira-3327 [Accessed 25 October, 2015]; LA PATILLA. (2014) Padre de los estudiantes detenidos: Mis hijos están secuestrados… esposa de Vielma Mora sabe que son inocentes. La Patilla. [Online] 10 February. Available from: http://www.lapatilla.com/site/2014/02/10/padre-de- los-estudiantes-detenidos-mis-hijos-estan-secuestrados-esposa-de-vielma-mora-sabe-que-son-inocentes [Accessed 25 October, 2015] 556 SEGOVIA, S. (2014) Defensores de DD HH condenan arresto de estudiantes de Táchira 557 LUCA, N. (2014) Una ola de protestas, represión y detenciones sacuden a Venezuela. Perfil.com. [Online] 11 February. Available from: http://www.perfil.com/internacional/Una-ola-de-protestas- represion-y-detenciones-sacuden-a-Venezuela-20140211-0032.html [Accessed 25 October, 2015]; DELGADO, E. (2014) Rodriguez Torres confirma liberación de líder de JAVU; PROVEA. (2014) Venezuela 2014: Protestas y Derechos Humanos. p.15 558LUCA, N. (2014) Una ola de protestas, represión y detenciones sacuden a Venezuela; EL NACIONAL. (2014) Hermanos Manrique se encontraron con sus padres; NTV. (2014) Denuncian Detenciones Arbitratias de Estudiantes en Venezuela. NTV. [Online] 12 February. Available from: http://www.ntv.com.gt/denuncian-detenciones-arbitrarias-de-estudiantes-en-venezuela/ [Accessed 25 October, 2015]; RODRÍGUEZ, K.P. (2014) Incomunicados estudiantes de Táchira. El Impulso. [Online] 11 February. Available from: http://elimpulso.com/articulo/incomunicados-estudiantes-de- tachira [Accessed 25 October, 2015] 559 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. (2015) Venezuela: the Faces of Impunity. pp.37-38