US citizens sue Venezuelan president over alleged torture in prison

[Karah Rucker]

VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO STANDS  ACCUSED OF RUNNING A TORTURE-FILLED PRISON AND USING AMERICAN DETAINEES AS BARGAINING CHIPS IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES in a new lawsuit. 

TWO MEN FROM THE U-S – WHO WERE IMPRISONED IN VENEZUELA – ARE SUING MADURO SAYING HIS SECURITY OFFICIALS UNDER … PUT THEM THROUGH A PATTERN OF TORTURE INCLUDING WATERBOARDING, ELECTROCUTION, THREATS OF RAPE, MIND-ALTERING MEDICATION AND LOCKING THEM IN A SMALL CELL.

THE COMPLAINT ALLEGES … “THE KIDNAPPING, TORTURE AND RANSOMING OF AMERICAN CITIZENS WAS PART OF A CONTINUOUS AND SYSTEMATIC SCHEME TO COERCE THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT INTO POLICY CONCESSIONS, THE END OF AN OIL EMBARGO, AND PRISONER SWAPS.”

ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS, MATTHEW HEATH – A FORMER U-S MARINE CORPORAL AND U-S SECURITY CONSULTANT IN AFGHANISTAN – WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED BY VENEZUELAN AUTHORITIES AT A ROADBLOCK IN VENEZUELA IN 20-20 … AFTER THEY ALLEGEDLY FOUND WEAPONS AND A SATELLITE PHONE ON HIM.

MADURO ACUSSED HIM OF BEING AN OIL REFINERY SPY FOR THEN-PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.

OSMAN KHAN … THE OTHER PLAINTIFF … WAS WORKING IN COLOMBIA AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE IN THE UNITED STATES … WHEN HE MET HIS VENEZUELAN GIRLFRIEND … WHO INVITED HIM TO MEET HER FAMILY. 

AUTHORITIES DETAINED KHAN IN 20-22 WHILE THEY WERE CROSSING THE BORDER … AND HE WAS CHARGED WITH TERRORISM AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. 

THE U-S GOVERNMENT FOUND BOTH MEN WERE WRONGFULLY DETAINED ON FALSE CHARGES … AND THEY WERE EACH RELEASED IN A PRISONER SWAP AFTER HUNDREDS OF DAYS IN JAIL.

VENEZUELA’S GOVERNMENT HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THE LAWSUIT, BUT HAS PREVIOUSLY DENIED IT TARGETS AMERICANS FOR IMPRISONMENT. 

FOR SAN – I’M KARAH RUCKER … FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.