Nicaragua – Race and Equality

07Jul 2021 by admin No Comments

Race and Equality launches the report “Nicaragua, an unsolved human rights crisis: Analysis of arbitrary detentions, judicial processes without guarantees, and political persecution”

On July 7, 2021, the International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) published a report titled "Nicaragua, an unsolved human rights crisis: Analysis of arbitrary detentions, judicial processes without guarantees, and political persecution". The report compiles the results of an exhaustive investigation into human rights violations committed against political prisoners who were arrested in connection to the protest movement of April 2018 and prosecuted in unfair trials. In the context of the 2018 protests, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has registered 328 murders, thousands of people exiled, and hundreds of politically-motivated arrests. More than 124 political prisoners remain behind bars for their links to the protests. Race and Equality found that between April 18, 2018 and February 13, 2020, a total of 657 people…

01Jul 2021 by admin No Comments

Organizations alert the UN about the serious human rights situation in Nicaragua

Nicaragua, UN

On behalf of the undersigned organisations, we welcome the Special Rapporteur"s report on access to justice in the context of the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, which particularly relevant in the case of Nicaragua. We deplore that Nicaragua is still far from complying with the recommendations addressed in the Special Rapporteur"s report, as highlighted by the High Commissioner update as well. The lack of separations of powers has ensured impunity for the arbitrary attacks against civil society organisations and the prevalence of legislation that drastically restricts all freedom of association. Stigmatisation and obstacles to defending victims remain the rule for human rights defenders and independent lawyers, and those arbitrarily criminalised they accompany continue to face clear violations to their right to due process. The international community as…

28Jun 2021 by admin No Comments

“Loving and Resisting from Diversity:” Race and Equality Celebrates LGBTI+ Pride Day

Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, English, LGBTI, Nicaragua, Peru, Race and Equality, Regional

Washington D.C., June 28, 2021.- To commemorate this LGBTI+ Pride Day, The Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race and Equality) chose the slogan “Loving and Resisting from Diversity.” This slogan pays tribute to LGBTI+ organizations and activists who each day wage a powerful struggle to combat discrimination and violence, and move towards the recognition of their rights despite living in a context as adverse as Latin America and the Caribbean when it comes to human rights. Although there has been little progress in the region in terms of recognizing and guaranteeing rights for LGBTI+ people, we want to exalt the great capacity to love and resist that people with diverse sexual orientation and gender expression or identity continue to sustain, when facing a society that attacks, excludes, and…

23Jun 2021 by admin No Comments

UN High Commissioner calls for urgent change in Nicaragua’s approach to upcoming elections

Nicaragua, UN

Yesterday, June 22, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet delivered an oral update on the situation in Nicaragua before the UN Human Rights Council. Bachelet expressed her concern at the rapid deterioration of the human rights situation in Nicaragua, which “makes it unlikely that Nicaraguans will be able to fully exercise their political rights in the elections on 7 November.” Bachelet expressed regret that the State of Nicaragua has failed to comply with almost all of the recommendations made by the Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) since the beginning of the country’s socio-political crisis in April 2018. The High Commissioner also denounced various acts of repression carried out by the National Police, paramilitary forces, pro-government media, and other…

18Jun 2021 by admin No Comments

Human rights organizations condemn escalated repression in Nicaragua and demand the immediate release of all political prisoners

Nicaragua

Human rights organizations urgently condemn the recent wave of repression launched against opposition figures, presidential candidates, journalists, business leaders, and former civil society leaders 144 days ahead of the country’s general elections. In May of this year, the government of President Daniel Ortega, acting through the Public Ministry, initiated an investigation against presidential hopeful Cristiana Chamorro Barrios and two former employees of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation, Walter Gómez and Marcos Fletes. The three are accused of supposed “money laundering” related to the Foundation’s finances between 2015 and 2019. Journalists and civil society groups such as the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) reject this investigation as “part of a fierce campaign of persecution against independent journalism and an attack against civil and political rights.” Prosecutors have summoned and interrogated…