Thirty-three-year-old Adrián Vásquez was
released unconditionally from prison near Tijuana, Baja California
state, in the early hours of 2 December, after a state judge allowed an
appeal by Adrián Vásquez´s lawyers and ruled that there was no evidence
against him.
State
police arrested Adrián Vásquez while driving in Tijuana on 26 September
2012. They threatened, beat and nearly asphyxiated him during a 12-hour
period in their custody. The police forced water up his nose so it
filled his lungs. Neighbours saw Adrián Vásquez being beaten when police
took him to his home to conduct a search. The police then presented him
to the media and told them he was a notorious drug trafficker. The
officers handed him over to prosecutors and alleged that they had
stopped him for speeding in a stolen vehicle and that he had then
spontaneously identified himself as a drug trafficker. Soon afterwards,
he collapsed and was rushed to hospital for life-saving surgery due to
the torture he suffered. The Federal Attorney General’s Office charged
Adrián Vasquez with drug offences and illegal possession of firearms. He
remained in jail while his trial was ongoing.
Click here for more updated information.
