- The relatives of the detainee explained that he has a leg infection and requires medical tests
The National Association of Journalists (CNP) denounced that the hearing of journalist Ramón Centeno scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, was deferred. He also indicated that the professional came to court in a wheelchair.
The institution reported that the hearing was scheduled for April 27, despite the poor health condition in which Centeno arrived at the court. The union described the situation as a violation of human rights.
The relatives reported through the journalist’s Twitter account that the argument for deferring the hearing was that one of the private defense attorneys “requested in advance” the change.
According to the family, Centeno was lifted in his arms and then transferred in a wheelchair to reach the facilities of the Supreme Court of Justice. At the entrance they informed of the modification.
The relatives questioned that the courts did not notify the jail where Centeno is being held to avoid moving him under these conditions. “Why so much evil?” they wrote in a tweet.
They also called on Judge Sabrina Montes de Oca via Twitter to verify Centeno’s state of health and to consider applying a humanitarian measure.
They request urgent medical attention for Ramón Centeno
The family assured that Centeno’s public defender requested an urgent transfer to a health center to perform medical examinations and CT scans. They claimed that they still have not received a response.
The day before, the relatives explained that the journalist had an infection in his leg and that despite this he would attend court with the respective care.
We found out that he has been suffering from fever, headache, high blood pressure for more than eight days and, to add to his anguish, the leg operated on at the hip and femur level is infected,” said Omaira Navas, Centeno’s mother, on Wednesday, March 22 when denounced the health situation of his son.
On February 2, Centeno completed one year in custody at the National Anti-Drug Office in San Agustín, Caracas. The journalist is accused of allegedly being part of a drug trafficking network “dedicated to recruiting public officials.”
The journalist’s arrest occurred two weeks after he conducted interviews with several people arrested for drug trafficking. From the moment of his apprehension, his mother alerted the authorities that she suffered from heart disease and she was convalescing from a hip reconstruction operation.