VENEZUELA
UN urges probe into politician’s death in custody
The attorney-general has promised to conduct a thorough investigation
The UN on Tuesday called for a "transparent investigation" into the death of Venezuelan opposition member Fernando Alban after Caracas said he killed himself in custody. Alban had been jailed over accusations that he took part in an alleged failed drone attack on President Nicolas Maduro on August 4. Venezuela’s attorney-general William Saab told state television VTV that Alban threw himself from a 10th-floor window on Monday at the headquarters of the intelligence service, where he had been in pretrial detention. A spokesperson for the UN rights office, Ravina Shamdasani, told reporters the Caracas government had "an obligation to ensure the safety, personal integrity and dignity" of Alban. "We are concerned about news of his death ... "We do indeed call for a transparent investigation to clarify the circumstances of his death," she added. In a statement, the EU also demanded "a thorough and independent investigation" to clarify the circumstances of Alban’s "tragic death". "The EU ...
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