Venezuela judge Maria Afiuni moved to house arrest

2 February 2011 Last updated at 19:37 ET



A Venezuelan judge whose imprisonment has been criticised by international human rights groups has been moved to house arrest.

Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni is suffering from cancer and needs surgery.

She was locked up more than a year ago after President Hugo Chavez accused her of corruption for freeing a banker accused of breaking currency controls.

Human rights groups say her case highlights concerns about the independence of Venezuela's judiciary.

The Venezuelan authorities say her detention is legitimate given suspicions surrounding the man she freed, banker Eligio Cedeno, who jumped bail and fled to the US.

Judge Afiuni says she acted in accordance with the law when she released Mr Cedeno, because he had been in jail for three years without trial, exceeding legal limits.

She was arrested in December 2009 after President Chavez publicly criticised her decision and demanded she be jailed for at least 30 years.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12350814

I bet she's learned her lesson and never does THAT again.

she freed, banker Eligio Cedeno, who jumped bail and fled to the US.

And since when do judges go to jail because a defendant jumps bail?

It is clearly stated in the article that his imprisonment without trial had exceeded the limit prescribed by law.

Guess you missed that, eh?

having been held for over three years without charges. You can't be against that shit here, and for it there. There is no indication that she broke any law.

What is the limit? Anyone know. Obviously three years exceeds the legal limits.