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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 133 of 190 Holdack has been accused of incitement to commit a crime, arson, damage to property and conspiracy to commit a crime, charges which carry a maximum sentence of eight years’ imprisonment. 560 Amnesty International studied the Office of Public Prosecution’s indictment and concluded that it contained “no credible evidence to support the charges against him”.561 According to a psychological assessment carried out by the Office of Public Prosecution’s forensic doctor on 2 April 2014 Christian Holdack “exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his experiences”. In August 2014, another official medical examination found that he was suffering from a mixture of anxiety and depression and recommended that Christian Holdack be removed from his stressful environment.562 Holdack was sentenced jointly Leopoldo López, Angel Gonzalez and Demian Martin on September 10, 2015. The punishment is for 10 years. On the basis of these reports, the People’s Defender’s Office wrote to the courts on 17 September 2014 asking that they reconsider the decision to impose pre-trial detention because “as a citizen deprived of his liberty, Christian Holdack is unable to access or complete the course of treatment prescribed for him (psychotherapy). This is having a serious effect on his mental health and could compromise his physical health and integrity.” Despite this, he was only released on a preliminary basis on 17 March 2015 pending trial.563 iii) Leopoldo Lopez As the protests against the GoV continued to grow, also on 12 February 2014, Venezuelan prosecutors issued an arrest warrant against opposition leader Leopoldo López on charges including conspiracy, terrorism and murder, related to incidents that had arguably occurred in a protest called by his party in Caracas.564 Leopoldo López is the leader of the opposition party Voluntad Popular and of the MUD, an alliance of opposition parties, as well as former Mayor of Chacao, Caracas. López, along with the 560 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. (2015) Venezuela: the Faces of Impunity. pp.37-38 561 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. (2015) Venezuela: the Faces of Impunity pp.37-38 562 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. (2015) Venezuela: the Faces of Impunity. pp.37-38 563 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. (2015) Venezuela: the Faces of Impunity. pp.37-38 564 CNN. (2014) Ordenan la captura del opositor venezolano Leopoldo López. CNN Español. [Online] 13 February. Available from: http://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2014/02/13/ordenan-la-captura-de-leopoldo- Lopez-segun-reporte/ [Accessed 25 October, 2015]; UNIVISION. (2014) Dictan orden de arresto contra el líder opositor Leopoldo López. Univision. [Online] 13 February. Available from: http://miami.univision.com/noticias/miami/article/2014-02-13/dictan-orden-de-arresto-contra-el- lider-opositor-leopoldo-López [Accessed 25 October, 2015]; LA NACION. (2014) Venezuela: ¿De qué se acusa a Leopoldo López? La Nación. [Online] 19 February. Available from: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1665479-venezuela-de-que-se-acusa-a-leopoldo-López [Accessed 25 October, 2015]