Since their initial arrest in 2018, IRTF followed the trial of activists Raúl Álvarez and Edwin Espinal with great concern. While being detained in a maximum-security prison on false charges for about 20 months, they had to endure inhumane conditions and received death threats from other inmates, lacking any support or security by prison authorities.
RRN letter MAR 2018- excerpt
“We are writing to express our outrage over the continued detention of human rights defender Edwin Robelo Espinal in La Tolva prison, located in Morocelí, El Paraíso Department, and the horrific conditions that exist in this military-run maximum security prison. Since February 28, Edwin Espinal and other prisoners, including Raúl Eduardo Álvarez, have been refused medical attention for a flu-like virus circulating in the prison. Prisoners are forced to limit bathroom use because toilets are located inside the shared, enclosed cells.”
RRN letter NOV 2020 - excerpt
“Raúl Álvarez, a former police officer, was arrested along with Edwin Espinal in January 2018 during a period of nationwide protests about the legitimacy of the re-election of President Juan Orlando Hernández. Both men maintain that they were framed by authorities. Nevertheless, they were confined in “pretrial detention” for about 20 months in the maximum-security prison La Tolva, which is run by the Honduran military. There they received death threats from fellow inmates. An international solidarity campaign was conducted for more than a year until August 9, 2019 when both Raúl Álvarez and Edwin Espinal were released, pending trial.”
GOOD NEWS!
Raúl Álvarez and Edwin Espinal endured four years of judicial persecution. Both spent time “pre-trial detention” in La Tolva, a maximum-security prison run by the military. In May 2022, Raúl Álvarez finally received his definitive letter of release, dismissing all the false criminal charges.
Raúl Álvarez was held in confinement for about 20 months, being accused of illicit association and aggravated damages because of his participation in protests over the 2017 post-election crisis. Both of these charges were being used by state forces regularly to silence social leaders and activists. After being released from pre-trial detention (trial pending), Raúl suffered a knife attack in November 2020.
The Justice for the People law firm pointed out that “Raúl should never have been criminally prosecuted. He should be compensated for the damages for having spent nearly two years in prison.”
https://criterio.hn/otorgan-carta-de-libertad-definitiva-a-raul-alvarez-...
IRTF NOTE
IRTF celebrates the official release of political prisoner Raúl Álvarez, and the end of his trial. However, this decision should have come much sooner. Raúl had to endure almost two years in detention where he suffered death threats and attacks. Sadly, he is not the only human rights activist who has been held in pre-trial detention under false charges. We hope that this victory will set a path for many other previous political prisoners wrongfully detained and sentenced in Honduras. We urge that Raúl Álvarez will be compensated for the suffering he endured.
Rapid Response Network
InterReligious Task Force on Central America
3606 Bridge Ave., Cleveland OH 44113 • 216.961.0003
