The trial against five agents and a sub-inspector of the National Police Station of Arrecife began this Monday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with the declaration of the accused, who have denied having beaten and tortured two brothers arrested in April 2010. These two young men sit next to them in the dock, accused of having assaulted the agents during their arrest, and have also denied the charges against them.
In his indictment, the Prosecutor's Office points out that the police officers went that day to a massive fight that had broken out in a park located on Alcalde Ginés de la Hoz street, where they found the two young men beating a third person. Initially, two agents arrived, but eventually another four national police officers were needed to arrest these two young men, who, according to the prosecutor, kicked and punched the agents to resist arrest. For these acts, two years in prison are requested for each one.
However, the highest penalties are requested for the five agents and the sub-inspector. According to the Prosecutor's Office, after the arrest, when they were already handcuffed and had been transferred to the Police Station, the police officers violently beat the two young men, who suffered serious consequences.
"The cell lowers adrenaline"
In their statement, according to the EFE agency, those involved have denied the facts. "Absolutely nothing happened behind the door," the sub-inspector said, referring to the door that gives access to the cell. And he has also denied that there was an aggression in the garage, as the brothers claim. Both maintain that they were attacked up to three times, in different areas of the police station. And on one of the occasions, in the corridor to the cell, one of them stated that he approached the area where he knew there were security cameras, which were analyzed during the investigation of this case, so that they would record what was happening.
In his statement, the sub-inspector has stated that he does not know how one of the two young men broke his leg and has denied that the serious injuries they presented were inflicted on them at the police station. Regarding why they were not taken directly to a health center after their arrest, he stated that it was because they were "very agitated", according to EFE. "The cell lowers adrenaline," he stated, after explaining that they feared that the detainees would cause an altercation in the emergency room. For this reason, according to his version, they took them to the police station first, so that they would "relax". An hour after entering the police station, the two young detainees were transferred by ambulance to a health center.
"They hit me everywhere"
"They hit me everywhere from the waist up," declared one of the young men allegedly attacked by the agents. In his case, he stated that they perforated his ear and that he still has after-effects on his sight, although unlike his brother, he stated that he does not claim compensation and that he only wants "justice to be done".
In his provisional indictment, the Prosecutor's Office requested 15 years in prison for two of the police officers and 12 for the other four, since not all of them had the same participation in the events. In the case of one of the agents who have sat in the dock, the alleged victim has not confirmed that he was among his aggressors, but he did witness the events without intervening to prevent it.
After the first day of trial, the hearing will continue this Tuesday with the declaration of the witnesses and it is expected that on the 29th it will conclude with the presentation of the final conclusions, being seen for sentencing.
