A/HRC/45/CRP.11 Plaza Venezuela and El Helicoide 747. Mr. Jaimes was held alone in a small, dimly lit office in El Helicoide for approximately one month. He slept on a metal table. He did not have access to a bathroom and was forced to relieve himself using a newspaper”.1449 748. He was then transferred to the “Fishtank” (La Pecera), a cramped cell with 11 other prisoners. They did not have access to running water or bathroom facilities. During a citywide blackout in 2019, Mr. Jaimes and the other prisoners in his cell were held in complete darkness for six days.1450 749. After around one year in the “Fishtank”, Mr. Jaimes was moved to “Hall A” with better physical conditions, though the cells still lacked access to water and light. 1451 750. Mr. Jaimes was routinely denied adequate medical care. He was examined by doctors, but in the presence of SEBIN officers. One doctor administered an analgesic via injection to his buttocks in front of officers. According to Mr. Jaimes, at one point a doctor diagnosed him with intercostal neuritis due to the injury to his rib but did not proscribe medicine. Authorities later stated that Mr. Jaimes had been medically evaluated on the day of his arrest, and that his injury pre-dated his detention.1452 Mr. Jaimes told the Mission he had been in good health prior to his arrest. Judicial Process 751. The preliminary hearing was held on 31 January 2019, more than eight months after Mr. Jaimes’ arrest and after at least five postponments.1453 The judge upheld the charges and ordered the case to proceed to trial. 752. From January 2019 until the time of writing, the trial had been deferred at least 12 times.1454 Mr. Jaimes’ defence counsel accuses SEBIN of refusing to receive and execute transfer orders to bring him to court on the appropriate dates. On one occasion, SEBIN officers told the bailiff that the address was written incorrectly and therefore SEBIN could not receive the order. Another time, SEBIN told the bailiff they had received orders from above that judicial orders must be addressed specifically to the SEBIN Director.1455 753. On 17 October 2019, Mr. Jaimes was conditionally released from El Helicoide, as he continued to await trial. According to its head, Mr. William Saab, the National Consituent Assembly’s Justice, Peace, Truth and Public Tranquillity Commission brokered the release.1456 The Commission authorized the release of 24 persons accused of acts of violence during political unrest.1457 1449 1450 1451 1452 1453 1454 1455 1456 1457 The Mission confirmed this with Mr. Jaimes. The original statement was provided to El Diario, 22 November 2019, complete footage verified by and on file with the Mission. Ibid. Ibid. Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions, No. 39/2019, A/HRC/WGAD/2019/39, 19 September 2019, available at: https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Detention/Opinions/Session85/A_HRC_WGAD_2019_39. pdf The preliminary hearing was scheduled on 25 July, 20 September, 24 October, 22 November, and 29 November 2018, according to information presented by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions, No. 39/2019, A/HRC/WGAD/2019/39, 19 September 2019, available at: https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Detention/Opinions/Session85/A_HRC_WGAD_2019_39. pdf Information provided by Mr. Jaimes’ defense counsel indicates that hearings were deferred on 28 February, 20 March, 11 April, 9 May, 30 May, 26 June, 25 July and 13 August 2019. Espacio Público, “El Sebin niega derecho a juicio al tuitero Pedro Jaimes”, 6 September 2019, available at: http://espaciopublico.ong/el-sebin-niega-derecho-a-juicio-al-tuitero-pedro-jaimes/ YouTube Video, Multimedio VTV, “Comisión de la Verdad otorga libera a 24 personas como parte de los acuerdos del diálogo nacional”, 17 October 2019, video on file with the Mission. United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), “Comisión de la Verdad otorga libertad a 24 personas como parte de la Mesa Nacional de Diálogo”, 17 October 2019, http://www.psuv.org.ve/temas/noticias/comision-verdad-otorga-libertad-a-24-personas-como-partemesa-nacional-dialogo/#.XwcWg3dFw2x. 161