A/HRC/45/CRP.11 of the Assembly, responsible for the violence in Caracas.850 That same day, the Sixteenth Caracas Procedural Court issued an arrest warrant for Mr. López, who went into hiding. The arrest was ordered for multiple charges, including criminal association, incitement to commit an offence, public intimidation, arson of a public building, damage to public property, causing bodily harm, homicide and terrorism. 379. Franklin Nieves, the prosecutor who requested the arrest warrant, left Venezuela in 2015. He subsequently gave an interview alleging that Mr. López’s arrest had been prepared in advance of events on 12 February and was substantiated with false information. 851 Mr. Nieves also accused Joel Espinoza, Director General of Criminal Proceedings of the Public Prosecutor’s Office,852 of ordering him to travel to Táchira state on 10 February and detain Mr. López “should some offences materialize”. 853 When Mr. López did not travel to San Cristóbal, SEBIN officers flew Mr. Nieves back to Caracas in a helicopter. 854 380. In Caracas, Mr. Nieves was escorted to SEBIN headquarters where the then SEBIN Director, General Manuel Gregorio Bernal Martínez, told him to sign arrest warrants “upon instruction of ‘Number 1,’ President Maduro”.855 381. Judge Ralenys Tovar, the Sixteenth Court of Control Judge who issued the arrest warrant, also left Venezuela. In a media interview, she revealed having done so under “huge pressure”.856 On 16 October 2017, she provided testimony at an OAS hearing and reported receiving a call from then Supreme Court President Gladys Gutiérrez on 11 February 2014, telling her to approve a number of arrest warrants that awaited her in the tribunal. 850 851 852 853 854 855 856 See RTVE, Maduro acusa al opositor Leopoldo López de promover las últimas protestas en Venezuela, 17 February 2014, available at: https://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/telediario/maduroacusa-opositor-leopoldo-lopez-promover-ultimas-protestas-venezuela/2402258/; See also NTN24, Diosdado Cabello responsabiliza a Leopoldo López y María Machado por situación en Venezuela, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWP5l8QCO0I See La Patilla, Entrevista completa Franklin Nieves Conclusiones 27/10/2015, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPsTNZn2Ldo. See also his testimony during a hearing before a panel of experts appointed by the OAS to analyse possible crimes against humanity in Venezuela: OAS OEA Videos, Audiences to analyze possible crimes against humanity in Venezuela. November 16th, 2017, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6zUBXprxQ4, minute 2:35:00. Joel Espinoza was thereafter appointed Vice-Attorney General, a position he held until 2016 before joining the Presidential Commission for Integrity to combat Corruption, launched by President Maduro. See ABC, El vicefiscal de Venezuela que procesó a Leopoldo López intenta conseguir asilo en España, 19 Feburary 2018, available at: https://www.abc.es/internacional/abci-vicefiscalvenezuela-proceso-leopoldo-lopez-intenta-conseguir-asilo-espana-201802190154_noticia.html Testimony of Franklin Nieves during a hearing before a panel of experts appointed by the OAS to analyse possible crimes against humanity in Venezuela: OAS OEA Videos, Audiences to analyze possible crimes against humanity in Venezuela. November 16th, 2017, minute 2:35:00, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6zUBXprxQ4. See OAS OEA Videos, Audiences to analyze possible crimes against humanity in Venezuela. November 16th, 2017, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6zUBXprxQ4, minute 2:35:00 Ibid. See Youtube video, naidavideo, NTN24 26F Jueza Tovar presionada para apresar a Leopoldo López, 26 February 2014, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmrbMTMRwX8 See also, El Nacional, Jueza del caso de Leopoldo López huyó del país por miedo al gobierno, 22 November 2017, available at: https://www.elnacional.com/venezuela/politica/jueza-del-caso-leopoldo-lopezhuyo-del-pais-por-miedo-gobierno_212524/. Ms. Tovar left her position as judge at the beginning of July 2015. According to an interview she gave to the Canadian media, she tried to open her own practice, to no avail, before fleeing after the murder of Judge Nelson Moncada. See The Globe and Mail, Phone-tapping, fear and threats: Why an ex-Venezuelan judge is seeking refuge in Canada, 16 November 2017, available at: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/phone-tapping-fearand-threats-why-an-ex-venezuelan-judge-is-seeking-refuge-in-canada/article37000457/ 97