Former Vice-President of the European Parliament Eva Kaili, arrested as part of the Qatargate investigation, will have to remain in prison for at least another month. This was reported by the Federal Prosecutor of Belgium, recalling that the Greek politician has been detained in the Haren penitentiary since 9 December. The defence lawyers, Mihalis Dimitrakopoulos and André Risopoulos had denounced that Kaili “was subjected to a condition of torture during her confinement last week” and had “asked once again for her release, with alternative measures such as an electronic bracelet or other types of similar measures”.
For sixteen hours – According to the lawyers, the “torture” suffered by their client would have lasted for sixteen hours. The facts would date back to the period in which Eva Kaili was placed in solitary confinement, from Wednesday 11 January to Friday 13 January. The prison measure, decided by the investigating judge Michel Claise, would have been imposed for sixteen hours not in a penitentiary but in a “cold” police cell.
“This is torture”- “She was denied a second blanket and had her coat removed, the light in the room was always on preventing her from sleeping, she was in her period with heavy bleeding and was not allowed to wash ” – explained the lawyer Mihailis Dimitrakopoulos referring to the hours spent in the police cell.
“Acts in violation of the ECHR” – “Eva Kaili – as stated in a document drawn up in agreement with the former vice-president of the European Parliament – is accused but there is always the presumption of innocence. We are in Europe, these acts violate the European Convention on Human Rights. This is the Middle Ages”.
The request for publication – Eva Kaili through her lawyer expressed the desire that these facts be made public “because transparency is the soul of justice”. “We hope – he added – that there is a fair trial. We are in Europe”.
Only two meetings with the daughter – Furthermore, the lawyers of the former vice president of the European Parliament have pointed out that “in six weeks in prison” the meetings with the twenty-three-month-old daughter have been only two. For us, this is a “break” with “common sense” and with “appropriate measures in relation to the situation”, they explained. With the extension of the detention, Kaili will not be able to see her daughter again “until February”, they added.
