Colombian businessman arrest drags Africa into U.S, Venezuela political feud
Mr Saab’s alleged arbitrary detention, in violation of the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic relations, has been slated for November 30 before ECOWAS Court in Abuja.
By Samson Adenekan November 24, 2020 2 min read
With the arrest of Colombian businessman, Alex Saab, the lingering feud between Venezuela and the United States of America has dragged Africa into the dangling contest.
Mr Saab, an ally to President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, was arrested in June 2020 when his private jet had a stopover at Cape Verde, a West African nation, by the country’s security operatives and Interpol.
While he remains in Cape Verde’s government detention, there have been political and legal struggles between the American and Venezuelan governments on who to take custody of the arrested businessman.
Within days of his arrest, Donald Trump-led administration had requested Mr Saab’s extradition to the U.S. for money laundering, a move the Venezuelan government faulted, claiming the businessman is its Special Envoy on a “humanitarian mission” to get food and medical supplies.
. . .
Baltasar Garzón, a former Spanish judge and one of the attorneys on the case, in his statement to PREMIUM TIMES last weekend, alleged both Interpol and Cape Verde of doing the bidding of the U.S. rather than following due processes.
“Cape Verde’s willful violation of its own laws, and customary international law, will also tarnish the ECOWAS region’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of human rights and legal protections.
More:
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/foreign/africa/427824-colombian-businessman-arrest-drags-africa-into-u-s-venezuela-political-feud.html
Baltasar Garzón is a phenomenal official. as in this example:
Argentinian officer jailed by Spain for 'dirty war' crimes
By Elizabeth Nash in Madrid
Wednesday 20 April 2005 00:00
In the first international law ruling of its kind, Spain's National Court sentenced the Argentinian former naval officer Adolfo Scilingo to 640 years' jail for crimes against humanity committed during Argentina's "dirty war".
In the first international law ruling of its kind, Spain's National Court sentenced the Argentinian former naval officer Adolfo Scilingo to 640 years' jail for crimes against humanity committed during Argentina's "dirty war".
A panel of three judges convicted Scilingo, 68, of participating in "death flights" during the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983, when opponents of the regime were stripped, drugged and flung from aircraft into the Atlantic; and found him responsible for the deaths of 30 people.
This is the first time anyone has been convicted in person (rather than in absentia) of human rights crimes committed in another country.
Yesterday's verdict is a vindication of the principle established by Spain's crusading judge Baltasar Garzon that human rights crimes can be tried anywhere in the world, and that ex-torturers and murderers have nowhere to hide.
More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/argentinian-officer-jailed-by-spain-for-dirty-war-crimes-495466.html
