The Costa Rican – Nicaragua journalist, Lucía Piñeda, jailed in Nicaragua for alleged crimes of instigation of terrorist acts and inciting hatred, now in her sixth day in the infamous El Chipote prison in Managua, will be going to trial on January 25.
Piñeda, 45, was arrested last Friday by Nicaragua’s national police following a raid on the offices of 100% Noticias, a cable news channel, where Piñeda was press officer.
Also arrested on Friday were 100% Noticias owner and director, Miguel Mora, who still remains in custody, as well as Mora’s wife, Veronica Chavez, also a journalist, who was released hours after her arrest. An arrest warrant has been issued for Jackson Orozco and Jaime Arellano, two 100% Noticias reporters.
The news channel has been overly critical of the Daniel Ortega regime for their repression of the population, that is now focused on the independent media.
Piñeda’s uncle, Alejandro Ubau Hernández, confirmed Wednesday that they have been unable to have any contact with her, explaining that they would require a court order for that.
“They did not accept a blanket or a foam mattress. They have not allowed the (Costa Rican) consulate to see her unless a doctor values her. And what they said today (Wednesday) is that they will allow seeing her only with a court order “, said Ubau.
For Piñeda’s family, it is clear: “she is a victim of political persecution orchestrated from the highest levels of government”.
All that her family knows is that she is getting support from other inmates and being subjected to interrogations.
“She sent word that her faith remains unwavering, despite the massive interrogations. The (Costa Rica) consul has requested again today to allow her visits. The answer from the government is the silence,” said Ubau.
According to Ministerio Público de Nicaragua (Prosecutor’s Office), the “incitement to hatred and terrorist acts” was aimed at “attacking” the National Police and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN).
Costa Rica Reacts
Under this scenario, the government of Costa Rica announced that it will take Piñeda’s case to the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) to be held today (Thursday).
Acting Foreign Minister Lorena Aguilar, through an official statement, said: “Our country will preside over the OAS meeting through its Permanent Representative, ambassador, Montserrat Solano Carboni, and will raise its voice to denounce the repeated escalation of abuses against human rights and freedoms in Nicaragua“.
La vicepresidenta @esmeraldatroiti está en camino de Washington para realizar la presentación mañana ante el @CP_OEA de los resultados de los 2 mecanismos de la @CIDH para #Nicaragua: ella reportará el informe final del #GIEI y las últimas informaciones de monitoreo del #MESENI.
— Paulo Abrāo (@PauloAbrao) December 26, 2018
The call to the meeting was made by Costa Rica after experts from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) – whose members were expelled from Nicaragua on December 19 – presented a report on Friday in which it was revealed that in the neighboring country behaviors have been registered that should be considered as “crimes against humanity.”
Costa Rica currently chairs the Permanent Council of the OAS, at the request of the missions of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and the United States.
Ambassador Solano, explained that in the session the report presented by the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI, by its initials in Spanish
“Unfortunately this takes us into a Christmas break and that is why an extraordinary session is called, but the idea is that the States can listen to the situation and from here they can manifest their position and take steps towards possible subsequent actions. Those actions will be what will have to be negotiated,” affirmed Solano.
In addition, the ambassador emphasized that the position of Costa Rica is in the line of repudiation and deplorability before the multiple complaints of violation of human rights in Nicaragua.
A las 10 a.m. hora de Washington, la #CIDH presenta el informe final del #GIEI y los últimos datos de monitoreo del #MESENI en el Consejo Permanente de la OEA (@CP_OEA) dedicado a la crisis de derechos humanos en #Nicaragua. Aquí podés seguir la sesión: https://t.co/RLnDkniuKL
— CIDH (@CIDH) December 27, 2018
The meeting is taking place in Washington.
