Organizations of civil society and social movements denounced a process of forced disappearances in Nicaragua by ‘paramilitaries’, mainly in Masaya, León, Jinotepe, Diriamba and Jinotega.
“According to the specialized terminology of international human rights organizations, the arrests without proper order and executed by paramilitaries, are not really captures, but enforced disappearances,” said a statement signed by 11 unions and civil society organizations. including the Civic Alliance, the autoconvocados and the University Coordinator, among others.
They add that in Nicaragua the population is intimidated, threatened and kidnapped by paramilitaries, who would be ordered to act “with impunity” by the government of Daniel Ortega.
“Another aberration is committed, which is to invent situations of guilt of the prisoners, which lead to the courts under the control of the regime,” the organizations maintain.
According to the statement, in Nicaragua there are more than 130 people prosecuted for terrorism, mostly young people, university students and residents.
Release political prisoners
“We demand the release of all political prisoners, including those who are in the dungeons of the regime, but officially the government has not accepted that they are captured,” the organizations demanded.
Local and international organizations have denounced the act of paramilitaries in Nicaragua, who arrest people without presenting a court order.
They have also questioned the judicial processes to which protester have been subjected, whom they point to for the crime of terrorism.
Among the people who are being prosecuted is the leader of the Oriental market, Irlandaa Jerez; the peasant leaders, Medardo Mairena and Pedro Mena; also Cristian Fajardo, of the April 19 Movement in Masaya.
This crisis, which leaves hundreds of people arrested and disappeared, has also caused more than 400 deaths (according to Nicaraguan human rights organizations) and thousands of wounded.
As a form of protest, the organizations will hold a national march on Saturday (from the Jean Paul Genie roundabout to the Cathedral of Managua), on Sunday there will be a 5k race and a march on Wednesday.
Source (in Spanish): El Nuevo Diario
Article originally appeared on Today Nicaragua and is republished here with permission.
