Mexico releases alleged victims of police torture

Human rights groups say several people who were detained and allegedly tortured by police in Mexico have been released after spending years in custody.

The Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez human rights center says Cristel Piña, Eduardo Estrada and Leonardo de la O were freed Wednesday. They were detained in August 2013 in Ciudad Juárez, across from El Paso, Texas, and accused of belonging to an extortion ring.

The center says they were absolved by a judge on Nov. 9 and are now seeking punishment for those who tortured them.

Amnesty International issued a statement Thursday citing Piña's case as well as that of Adrián Vásquez, who it said was arrested in Tijuana over three years ago, tortured and accused of being a drug trafficker. Vásquez was also released Wednesday.