Nicaragua: Ortega regime does not allow political prisoners to receive their lawyers or visits from relatives

Police Nicaragua on Wednesday rejected a humanitarian request for a group of 15 leaders and workers of an NGO, captured in a recent wave of arrests of dissidents, may have contact with their lawyers Yes relatives, denounced their legal representatives.

Wives, sisters, nieces and children of political prisoners went to the headquarters of the Directorate of Legal Aid of the National Police, to ask to see the detainees, but they were rejected by officers from the Police and Special Riot Operations Department.

“We went to court to try to file appeals for visits, so that they have the right to have contact with the outside world, so that they are guaranteed the right to private audience and a defense with a lawyer of their choice, however they refuse to us that in the Judicial Power, we come here and here nobody wants to receive absolutely anything from us ”, declared the sister of the leader of the opposition. Tamara Dávila Vijil, Ana Álvarez Vijil, at an impromptu press conference.

Because the authorities did not report the fate or state of health of the detainees, most of whom are under investigation for crimes considered “Betrayal to the Fatherland”, their relatives consider them as “faded away”. They are also classified as “kidnapped», Since his arrests would have taken place outside the law.

“They continue to rape us and restrict our freedoms and the freedoms of our family members who have been detained, kidnapped, illegally and arbitrarily for up to 39 days.Said Lvarez, who has been the spokesperson for the plaintiffs.

Relatives of convicts alleged that the Nicaraguan Constitution guarantees that people are considered innocent during investigation, and have the right to receive visits from lawyers and relatives, however, complained about the treatment of the authorities.

“This is an example of the institutional collusion that exists and how the different dependencies of what the justice system should be is at the service of the regime and the dictatorship, and all the instances are in collusion, the police, the judiciary, the public defender, the attorney general, ”said lvarez.

The complainants presented themselves as relatives of the opposition leaders Davila Vijil, Ana Marguerite Vijil, Suyen Barahona, Yes Violeta granera, the former dissident Sandinista guerrilla Dora Maria Tellez, the presidential candidates Felix Maradiaga, Juan Sebastian Chamorro Yes Miguel Mora.

The concern, expressed in a letter to the Nicaraguan police, was also signed by relatives of the former vice-chancellors Jose pallais Yes Victor Hugo Tinoco and former deputy PEdro Joaquín Chamorro Barrios.

Relatives of the sports writer have also signed. Miguel Mendoza placeholder image, workers of the late Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation Walter gomez Yes Marco fletes, as well as the driver of the presidential candidate Cristiana Chamorro, Pedro Vasquez.

At least 21 people considered opponents were captured in the November 7 elections, in which the President Daniel ortega seeks a new re-election. In these elections, Ortega will play 42 years of almost absolute primacy over Nicaraguan politics.

(With information from EFE)

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