(Alexandria, Virginia) After last week’s municipal elections in Nicaragua, Global Rule of Law and Liberty Legal Defend Fund (Fund) attorneys and fellow lawyers in Nicaragua are concerned for the safety and well-being of opposition leaders. In a report by a team of 60 electoral experts and other Organization of American States, Electoral Observation Mission (OAS/EOM) officials are recommending “comprehensive electoral reform” in Nicaragua. At the crux of the problem? They say what is needed is a “permanent judicial and administrative framework that gives more confidence and security to political forces.” In other words, lack of rule of law and independent institutions. In Nicaragua since October 9, the OAS/EOM team spent several weeks meeting with government officials and civil society leaders leading up to the November 5th municipal elections. On election day OAS/EOM observers were positioned in 15 departments (states) and two autonomous regions, visiting 787 polling centers and in 393 voting centers. The preliminary OAS/EOM report is available here. Election day appears to have been mostly uneventful, however, the OAS/EOM team reported that “once the voting ended, a series of isolated incidents of violence occurred that resulted in the deaths of five people and several injured.” Attorneys with the Global Rule of Law and Liberty Legal Defense Fund (Fund) were contacted by Nicaraguan attorneys and civil society leaders about such an incident in the state of Nueva Segovia. The alleged incident took place in the municipality of Jalapa of Nueva Segovia. For readers who are not familiar with Nicaragua, this area is known for some of the best cigars in the world. They are produced in an area that was once a conflict zone during the Cold War. According to local leaders who contacted the Fund, authorities are using the color of law “as a weapon to intimidate residents and finish consummating fraud in the recent municipal elections.” “We will continue to support attorneys in Nicaragua who are bravely defending wrongfully persecuted person,” Fund attorney Jason Poblete said. “Colleagues in Nicaragua have advised us that an opposition candidate has been forced to flee the country because because, in part, he was going to be thrown in jail without due process. If true, this matter is following a familiar and disturbing pattern that even includes abuse of INTERPOL systems in order to silence the opposition and, indeed, anyone who expresses different points of view from certain sectors of the ruling elite,” added Poblete. Mr. Nelson Cortez, attorney for three of the ten civil society leaders being unlawfully detained by Nicaraguan officials, said that “[t]he judicial process has been manipulated by political interest, subtracting the accused from their natural judge (Jalapa), and transferring them to exceptional jurisdiction to Ocotal, that is illegal and unconstitutional, and is done for political reasons, which makes the accused political prisoners of the Sandinista regime.” At the request of the persons who provided the Fund the following information about the alleged incidents in Jalapa, the report is posted anonymously to better ensure the safety of the various persons who helped prepare it. One of the opposition leaders involved in this matter was forced to flee Nicaragua because he was threatened by government officials. According to Nicaraguan civil society leaders: “This Wednesday, November 22nd, a judicial hearing will be held where the Public Ministry accuses thirteen citizens and supporters of the Citizens for Liberty Party (CxL), including the candidate for Mayor Ismael Gradiz who is fleeing, since he does not trust a partisan judicial system that accuses him as intellectual author of a riot even though he was not even found in the place of the protest. Of the thirteen accused, ten are detained and three are fleeing. Fund attorneys and public policy professionals will continue to monitor this situation as well as support fellow lawyers in Nicaragua who are defending persons politically targeted by the FSLN. The Fund has been working on uncovering abuses of rule of law and electoral systems in places such as Nicaragua, particularly the matter of Roberto Bendaña-McEwan. Roberto was singled out by senior FSLN officials, including prosecutors and judges, for alleged civil and criminal actions that he was not a party to. His true “crime”? Demanding free and transparent elections. Learn more about this matter here.
In related news, a bill is winding its way through the U.S. Congress that will help Nicaraguan opposition and civil society leaders hold FSLN leaders accountable: The Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (NICA) of 2017. Among other things, the NICA Act directs the President to instruct the U.S. Executive Director at international financial institution (IFIs) to use U.S. influence to oppose any loan for the government of Nicaragua’s benefit if various conditions are not met to help advance rule of law and curb human rights abuses, among other conditions. You can learn more about the NICA Act and related measures here. Nizar Zakka, U.S. Legal Permanent Resident and Internet Freedom Advocate, Begins 5th Hunger Strike
The following statement was issued by Mr. Nizar Zakka, who has been detained at Evin Prison in Tehran since September 2015, regarding his continued unlawful detention by Iran.
UPDATE 9-Statement on Conti... by pobletetamargo on Scribd On April 5, 2017, U.S. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) re-introduced the Congress a bill which increases sanctions against the Ortega regime for it’s abuses against democracy and human rights. H.R.1918 – the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (NICA) of 2017 was motivated by the lack of democracy, rule of law and transparency in Nicaragua, and specifically by the Ortega regime. While the Foundation cannot lobby, it supports the concept of proposals such as the NICA Act because it helps raise awareness of growing problems in Nicaragua where the government has turned the tools of state against political opponents. The Foundation is helping a victim of political persecution in Nicaragua. You can learn more it here. Nicaragua’s oldest and most widely read newspaper, La Prensa, released the following editorial on the current situation in Nicaragua, and the threats being made towards those that defend human rights in the country. The editorial, in Spanish, can be found here. On November 6, 2015, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a Subcommittee Hearing titled: Deplorable Human Rights Violations in Cuba and Venezuela led by South Carolina Representative Jeff Duncan. Testimony was heard from two panels, with Panel 1 containing witnesses on Cuba and Panel II made of witnesses on Venezuela. Below is a summary of talking points from witnesses testifying on human rights violations in Cuba. Remarks by Antonio Rodiles – Cuban Dissident Mr. Rodiles is the Director of State de SATS, a forum created in 2010 by a group of young artists, intellectuals and professionals that aim to encourage debate about social, cultural and political issues in Cuba. He is also a coordinator of Forum of Rights and Freedoms in Cuba. Rodiles discussed the Castro regime and the ongoing alliance between Russia and Iran, which continues to protect “neo-castroism”. He explained that the communist regime will adapt to the international community in order to stay alive, even if they “must pretend to be free marketers.” Citing the increase in human trafficking in Cuba and other repressive actions by the Cuban government Mr. Rodiles concluded that President Obama’s policy has given legitimacy and additional resources to a regime that will continue to adapt. Remarks by Sylvia G. Iriondo – President of Mothers and Women Against Repression (MAR por Cuba) Ms. Iriondo spoke of the open communication between the Obama Administration and Castro Regime, with negotiations for normalization beginning more than two years ago in secret talks which led to the December 17th announcement. She cites multiple human rights violations that have continued despite the concessions Obama has made to the Castro government. Specifically, returning Cuban spies involved in violent crimes, taking Cuba off of the US list of Sponsors of Terrorism while many fugitives wanted by the FBI are welcomed in Cuba. She goes on to discuss the political and social repression that was violently unleashed by the Castro regime before and after the visit of Pope Francis, including the repeated beatings and harrassment of the Ladies in White, who peacefully demonstrate their desire for religious freedom. Ms. Iriondo also discusses the increase in arbitrary political detentions. She concludes that the Obama policy has only emboldedned and enabled the Castro regime. Remarks by Presbyter Mario Felix Lleonart Barroso – Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Villa Clara, Cuba Reverend Barroso’s testimony focused on the violent actions taken by the Castro government in preventing the expression of religion throughout the island. Despite claims of “religious freedom” the Cuban regime continues to trample on the countries religious rights citing personal experiences that he and his family have been subjected to. Reverend Barroso has been blocked from traveling to urban communities, denied attempts to study Theology, arrested on numerous occasions for no legitimate reason, been placed under a “house arrest” and all attempts of travel outside of the country have been made incredibly difficult with the few occasions resulting in unnecessary search and seizure upon return. Members of his church have also been threatened, coerced, and blackmailed. The Cuban government continues to deny the church the required work permits to fix damages to the church facility. He also explains that his family has had numerous property items confiscated as well as being subjected to cell phone interference by the Castro regime. |
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