The term granted by the Inter-American Court to Nicaragua expires after the arrest of opponents

Relatives of detained opponents: They attack their honor and reputation 3:52

(CNN Spanish) -

This Thursday the deadline granted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for Nicaragua to report on compliance with the provisional measures issued in favor of the presidential candidates Félix Maradiaga and Juan Sebastián Chamorro, the activist Violeta Granera Padillar and the business leader José Adán Aguerri, who are part of the opposition leaders imprisoned by the government of Daniel Ortega within the framework of laws approved since October 2020 by the Parliament related to the ruling party.

In a videoconference, lawyer Jared Genser, representative of Maradiaga, Chamorro and Granera, regretted that there are no legal mechanisms to enforce the resolution of June 24, which urges the Sandinista regime to release the four opponents and protect their lives. , personal integrity and personal freedoms.

• One month after the arrest of the first opposition leader in Nicaragua: what is the situation in the country?

Genser reported that due to the official refusal they will request a hearing before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights so that the State can justify the reasons for the non-compliance.

The lawyer also raised the possibility of taking the case before the arbitrary detentions working group of the United Nations.

The Nicaraguan government has not made a public statement on the IACHR resolution.

CNN has consulted the Council for Communication and Citizenship and we are still waiting for a response.

IACHR: Opponents have the right to be candidates 6:57

Regarding the detained opponents, President Daniel Ortega said on June 23 on the national network that there are no candidates and that he is not persecuting politicians, but rather "criminals who threaten national security to provoke what they call regime change."

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Ortega added: "This is what we are pursuing, that is what is being investigated and that is what will be punished in due course as the law requires."

The National Police reported through a statement on June 8 that it detained the political scientist and presidential candidate for the Blue and White Unit, Félix Maradiaga, whom they are investigating for alleged acts against national sovereignty.

Hours later they reported the arrest of Juan Sebastián Chamorro, economist and candidate for the Citizen Alliance, also investigated for alleged crimes established in Law 1055, also called Defense of the Rights of the People to Independence, Sovereignty and Self-determination for Peace .

In a statement, the Prosecutor's Office reported that the judiciary issued 90 days of detention to Chamorro and Maradiaga for investigation in their cases.

Opponents in Nicaragua have not yet achieved their freedom 3:46

Lawyer affirms that certain arrests could be classified as enforced disappearance

Lawyer Genser said that the detention of Maradiaga, Chamorro and Granera could be classified as a forced disappearance because they have already served a month without being seen by their relatives.

Nor does he give credit to the private hearings held by the Judiciary because there was no private lawyer.

Genser added that Law 1055 is unconstitutional and inconsistent with international law and human rights.

Bertha Valle, Maradiaga's wife, said during the videoconference that President Ortega and First Lady Rosario Murillo have called her husband and other detained opponents criminals, which for her constitutes interference in matters of the Judicial Power.

Daniel Ortega speaks on TV about detained opponents 3:12

For her part, Victoria Cárdenas, wife of Juan Sebastián Chamorro, reiterated the request for a life certificate to verify the condition of her husband and the other detainees.

26 arrests

In recent weeks the government has arrested 26 people, including 6 presidential candidates, social and business leaders, former guerrillas and independent journalists, all accused of committing acts against national sovereignty or money laundering.

These opponents are added to more than 120 detainees for political reasons, according to human rights organizations.

The Permanent Council of the OAS, through a resolution of June 15, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and recently the European Parliament and the United States government have expressed their concern about the arrests and have asked immediate release of all political prisoners.