A former campaign worker of ex-presidential candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, accused of spying on ongoing peace talks with rebel group FARC, is receiving death threats, the suspect’s attorney told local media on Tuesday.
Lawyer Luis Bernardo Arise called on authorities to tighten security in La Picota prison in Bogota where suspect Andres Sepulveda is being held in order to guarantee his security.
Arise said that his client Sepulveda had told him of serious death threats he had been receiving whilst imprisoned, and asked the National Prison Institute (INPEC) to strength their security at the capital’s prison.
“What we are asking is that you offer him special security, to guarantee him security measures and prevent the threats that have been made against him, his wife and his son,” said Arise.
The lawyer also spoke with the office of Colombia’s chief human rights defender to verify the safety measures in place at the prison.
“I think it is up to the Ombudsman, the defender of human rights, to take charge of the case of Andres, to prevent anything happening which compromises his security,” said Arise.
Sepulveda’s family have already been the target of deaths threats and demands have already been made to Colombia’s Prosecutor General’s Office to guarantee the security of him and his family.
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Sepulved, who was working for the campaign of recently defeated challenger Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, was arrested for hacking and admitted to wiretapping ongoing peace talks with the rebel group, FARC.
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The Sepulveda investigation seriously smeared the campaign of Zuluaga, who was caught on video being informed on strategic campaign advances and progress made in the peace talks.
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