The political prisoners held captive for more than a year in the Directorate of Judicial Assistance (DAJ), known as “El Nuevo Chipote” in Managua, celebrate this Friday, October 28, 63 days of not receiving visits from their relatives.
The last time they were seen by their relatives was between August 26 and 28, where the relatives of the conscientious hostages once again denounced the violation of their rights, as well as the physical deterioration they present.
Related news: Ortega applies “psychological torture” by denying visits to the political prisoners of “El Chipote”
One of the families that has expressed the most concern about the repercussions of captivity in “El Nuevo Chipote” is that of the sports writer Michael Mendoza, who is also on a hunger strike, demanding to see his eight-year-old daughter for the first time.
“Today, the sports writer, Miguel Mendoza, has been held for 494 days in the cells of the Directorate of Judicial Assistance, for exercising his right to freedom of expression,” his relatives expressed through the Facebook account. miguel mendoza.
Mendoza’s family shared a video of the journalist’s last attendance at a conference held by the Association of Sports Chroniclers of Nicaragua (ACDN) in 2019, in which he denounced threats he received from some chroniclers who work for the government and the decision that took over the administration of the Dennis Martínez National Stadium, declaring it non-grateful.
Related news: Miguel Mendoza adds 37 days on hunger strike as a method of pressure to see his daughter
On that occasion, the political prisoner took the opportunity to point out the little importance that the president of ACDN, Moisés Ávalos Ruiz, showed in the face of the onslaught that the dictatorship had executed at that time against Mendoza.
“Mendoza, is a sports reporter with 30 years of experience and has been deserving of recognition for his excellent work on television, the written press and radio, and although he has been deprived of liberty, he continues to be one of the public figures in the country, with more followers on social networks, “remarked his family.
Another of the families that has expressed concern about the recognition of their state of health, is that of the former driver of Cristiana Chamorro, Peter Vasquez.
“This is distressing, it is psychological torture, I ask about him every day, but the one who receives me—a police officer from El Chipote—just starts laughing, but my husband is sick, I only send him drops to treat the ear problem that presents”, expressed Norma Vega in a recent interview with Article 66.
For its part, the opposition Civic Alliance, indicated through its Twitter account that there is no information on the health status of any political prisoner.
“We demand that the right to receive visits and communicate with their family be respected while they are released. They are innocent! #Nicaragua #SOSNicaragua», affirmed the opposition group.
According to the organization Sé Humano, of the 219 political prisoners in Nicaragua, 79 are being held in the Jorge Navarro Penitentiary System in Tipitapa, known as “La Modelo.”
While 50 —including priests— are held captive in “El Nuevo Chipote,” the other political prisoners are held captive in other prison systems in the country and to whom Ortega shows no sign of wanting to release them.
