The Supreme Court of Peru determined this Thursday that the former president Pedro Castillo continue in jail, by rejecting the appeal presented by his defense against the 18 months of pretrial detention he received on December 15, a week after being dismissed for trying to dissolve Congress and rule by decree.
(Also: Peru: Pedro Castillo assures that he is in prison for “political revenge”)
“Permanent Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court ratifies the resolution that ordered 18 months of preventive detention against former president Pedro Castillo, investigated for the crime of rebellion (alternatively, conspiracy to rebellion) against the State,” said the Judiciary in a message posted on Twitter.
The court, chaired by Judge César San Martín, also varied the order to appear with restrictions imposed in the first instance on former Prime Minister Aníbal Torres and imposed an 18-month ban on him from leaving the country.
(See also: Congress of Peru approves motion to reject “interference” by Mexico and Colombia)
In the resolution, The Supreme Court declared the appeal filed by Castillo’s defense “unfounded” and “partly founded” the request of the Prosecutor’s Office to change the situation of Torres.
In this way, it confirmed the decision made in the first instance by Supreme Judge Juan Carlos Checkley, who at that time indicated that he had found “well-founded elements of conviction” of the alleged commission of the crimes of rebellion, conspiracy, abuse of authority and Serious disturbance of public peace.
(Also read: Government of Peru announces new visit of the IACHR in January)
The position of the defense
During the hearing held this Wednesday, Castillo’s lawyer, Wilfredo Robles, accused the Prosecutor’s Office of showing “an eagerness to accumulate crimes” against the former president and said that there are insufficient grounds to maintain preventive detention.
Robles maintained that Castillo did not call to rise up in arms during the message he offered on December 7 and also alleged that He has work roots, since he must return to his teaching position in a rural school in the north of the country.
(You can read: This is Lilia Paredes, Pedro Castillo’s wife, asylum seeker in Mexico)
The lawyer considered that there is no flight risk and wondered if his client has to serve pretrial detention because of the support given to him by other presidents, in reference to the predisposition that the Government of Mexico has expressed to grant him political asylum.
Castillo also intervened in the hearing and, after affirming that the pretrial detention he is serving is unfair and a political revenge, he asked for his release.
I have never committed a crime of rebellion.
“I have never committed a crime of rebellion. I have not taken up arms and I have not called anyone to take up arms either, but I must say that the one who took up arms to end the lives of more than 30 Peruvians is the current Government “, he said regarding the 28 people who have died in protests that have taken place in the country in recent weeks.
The former president has been detained since December 7, when he was detained after announcing in a speech that he was going to dissolve Congress, govern by decree, intervene in the Judiciary and convene a constituent assembly, which has been mostly interpreted as a failed attempt. of a coup.
(We recommend: Peru and Mexico collide for asylum to the family of former president Pedro Castillo)
The prosecution’s arguments
For her part, the Supreme Deputy Prosecutor Silvia Sack Ramos explained that the Public Ministry requests that Castillo continue in prison due to the seriousness of the coup attempt and the danger of flight.
He also asked that the appearance with restrictions issued for Torres, who was Castillo’s legal advisor, is revokedand that the process continue in preventive detention since, according to his words, this “was not a simple spectator” of the ex-governor’s announcement and participated in its design and planning.
(Also: Peru: why hasn’t the early elections managed to calm the protests?)
When ordering preventive detention against Castillo, Judge Checkley pointed out on December 15 that he took the measure because the ex-governor faces the possibility of receiving at least four years in prison and there was a danger of flight, since he had tried to go to the Embassy from Mexico in Peru to request asylum.
EFE
#Peru #Pedro #Castillo #remain #jail #defense #appeals