This Tuesday, the former supervisor of the horror center from Ateca (Zaragoza), Miguel Angel VP., had to sit on the bench, after being arrested this Monday by the Civil Guard of Móstoles, and transferred to Calatayud, to give a statement before the investigating judge of the case, as far as possible cooperator needed of torture, humiliation, sexual assault and crimes that are being investigated against the moral integrity of minors residing in the center.
Miguel Angel was part of the Ateca juvenile center management team since the center opened in 2017, a work he has carried out through the Community and Health Foundation until June 2024.
At the beginning of August, the investigating judge in the case, Aida Ramirezdecreed the temporary closure of the Ateca center, after the scandal of allegations of torture, humiliation and rape, after two minors aged 16 and 17residents of the center will report it to the Civil Guard.
Following these two complaints, the number of minors who suffered this situation has only increased, reaching the figure of 19 people those who filed a complaint with the Civil Guard and who are currently under judicial investigation. In fact, the subpoenas began last week and are expected to last until next month. In addition, the judge considered that they were telematic so that the victims would have greater protection and would not be overwhelmed by the situation.
Former Ateca supervisor
For the judge, as expressed in the order issued at the end of the prisoner’s statement, “there is rational and sufficient evidence of criminality to charge him with the possible commission of an offence of omission of the duty of assistance, insults, torture, attack on moral integrity and sexual assault on minors, the latter acting as necessary cooperators”, these are indications that, the judge adds: “They must be the subject of an investigation throughout the investigation.”
It should be remembered that since the closure of the centre, both the current director of the centre, Ivan Rodriguezthree workers of Maghreb origin, Mohamed B., Youssef B., Abdelilah A. and a Romanian, Alexander RAwere sent to provisional prison without bail, under possible charges of various crimes against moral integrity, torture, injuries and belonging to a criminal group. Despite this, the imprisoned persons have requested to be released since the perpetrators of the events are not recognized. A request that has only been appealed Jorge Pedrafitathe lawyer for the juvenile prosecutor’s office, as a representative of the ADIVE association.
Among the four workers, two worked as educators at the center and the other two as assistants without having diploma or qualification. A fact that the former director of the center, Daniel Urbina, was also aware of, who has not yet been called to testify, although he also directed Ateca from 2017 to 2023, a position he left a year ago, when the Foundation rewarded his leadership at the Ateca center for minors, giving him “a new leap” in his career, as he says, by going to Barcelona to be responsible for the evaluation and research of the NGO, with which the Government of Aragon has broken all its contracts and is considering claiming damages for moral harm.
Risk of leakage?
However, the investigator did not temporarily send the former official to prison, considering that, since there is no risk of escape for the investigated person, nor possibility of acting against the legal assets of the victims (minors) “since is retired and does not work with minors, nor is there any persecution or communication with possible victims to dissuade them from their actions or influence them; Finally, there is also no risk of destruction of sources of evidence.
The judge issued an order of provisional release without bail for Miguel Ángel, knowing that the prosecution did not request pretrial detention, but withdrew his passport, prohibited him from leaving the national territory, and forced him to “appear in court every Monday of each week, as well as at any other time he was called” (obligation act apud) as well as establishing an address and notifying any change of address while the legal proceedings are still open.
Furthermore, the judge warned in her order that if the person under investigation does not comply with the agreed precautionary measures, his personal situation could be subject to review with measures that involve a further limitation of your freedom and that, in addition, he could incur the offence of violating precautionary measures.
