Nica News Roundup (evening edition) – Feb 28

February 28, 2019

Nicaragua

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In this edition

  • IACHR Willing to Step to Support Dialogue; OrMu Objects, While Alianza Hangs On.

IACHR Willing to Step in to Support Dialogue; OrMu Objects While Alianza Hangs On.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights issued a statement, encouraging the state of Nicaragua to “guarantee the conditions to ensure the enjoyment of human rights”, as the process of negotiation begins. The Commission also called for the cessation of the repression against the population.

In a series of tweets, the IACHR broke down the message for distribution. No English-language version has been issued, yet.

The main points of the statement are as follows:

The state should ensure that the dialogue process is representative, egalitarian, free, and credible. The state of Nicaragua must allow people to publicly assemble and manifest their opinions.

Civil society organizations reports 777  political prisoners; the OrMu Administration only recognizes 372

The IACHR found that 325 individuals had been assassinated during the protest. However, the OrMu administration only recognizes 198. The administration affirms that they have investigated and solved 32 of these cases

The IACHR has been monitoring the treatment of political prisoners. The Commission notes that the level of aggression and mistreatment has intensified. Penitentiary officials are carrying out these acts.

The IACHR offered details of several cases in which prisoners were “mistreated”. Irlanda Jerez, for example, cannot even get out of bed, due to her injuries. Two other prisoners, Jeysi Lagos and Brenda Muñoz, were taken from their cells and are now missing.

The situation at the Modelo Prison is not any better. Riot police has beaten and kicked prisoners, and even used trained dogs against the men under custody.  Some prisoners are taken from their cells, sometimes to isolation, but other times, no one knows where these prisoners end up.

Illegal raids and detentions continue. The latest one that the Commission learned about happened in Esteli. Sixteen young persons were taken for their participation in the protests.

The Commission also requests further information on the legal status of the prisoners who were transferred to house arrest yesterday, because the information provided by MiGob is unclear.

The Commission also stated that police presence around the office of the CPDH in Nicaragua is an intimidation tactic designed to scare off anyone who wishes to make a report. The harassment limits the ability that human rights organizations have to carry out their work.

The Commission calls on the state to create the conditions for an effective and legitimate dialogue. The families of the victims must be included. Different sectors of society and different genders must be included.

The state should also release political prisoners, comply with agreements, and allow public manifestations. The disproportionate police occupation of public spaces should cease, so that the environment of intimidation and repression defuses.

The Commission also reminds the state of its obligation to comply with international standards in regards to truth, justice and reparations.

The Commission is available to support the state of Nicaragua in the dialogue process, and as it moves forward in setting in motion any agreements reached in the matter of human rights.

As of this writing, we know that the OrMu administration objects to any kind of international mediation or presence. Several independent media outlets have reported on this issue, as it is one of the main sticking points of the negotiation thus far. The other sticking point is the ouster of Mons. Alvarez from the negotiation, after being initially accepted as a witness.

The Alianza is still willing to continue negotiations. Angel Rocha, one of the student representatives in the Alianza team, for example, stated that the negotiation “will take as long as it takes. We deserve enough time to reach concrete agreements. Nicaragua deserves that we take this opportunity to reach real progress.”

Mr. Rocha is not an outlier. The rest of the Alianza appears to be in lock step. The organization as a whole has made efforts to reassure the population that they are doing what is best. As the second day closed, they issued a statement, indicating that “negotiations have not reached the key points yet. We believe that it is very important to set the ground rules, so that they are clear and agreed upon, in light of any agreements we might reach later”

The Alianza also denied that they had left the negotiations, due to OrMu’s refusal to accept international presence. The organization further reiterated its three key demands: “Freedom for political prisoners, and reestablishment of constitutional liberties, rights and guarantees; electoral reforms; and justice.”

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