The judicial processes with political overtones continue in Nicaragua, where this Monday the trial began against the general manager of the newspaper La Prensa, Juan Lorenzo Holmann, reported the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh).
Holmann remains in custody. since August 14, 2021, one day after the government of Daniel Ortega opened an alleged investigation against the newspaper La Prensa for alleged money laundering. Since then, the businessman has been in the cells of El Chipote, in Managua, and the newspaper remains under the control of the Nicaraguan Police, as well as two other private media outlets.
According to Cenidh, who called for Holmann’s immediate release as he alleged that “he is seriously ill”, his health has deteriorated since his arrest and he has lost some 24 pounds in weight. He also has fungus on his skin, a product of the conditions in which he was.
Similarly, the director of La Prensa recently showed symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Judgment against Holmann is to be expected
The lawyers consulted by the voice of america They assure that the sentence against Holmann is something in which there will be no surprises and at the same time they indicate that the future of the newspaper that he directed and that continues to be taken over by the Police is worrying.
Cristiana Chamorro, who was part of the board of directors of La Prensa, was recently found guilty of several crimes.
The newspaper continues to operate digitally and it has drastically reduced its staff as a way to face the financial obstacles derived from the alleged investigation initiated by the government of Daniel Ortega against the last printed newspaper that was left standing in Managua.
Ortega has anticipated the trial of the newspaper and the very day of the raid on its headquarters, he publicly said that the newspaper “had other activities.”
“Anyone who commits crimes, who lends himself to laundering money and then hiding the evidence of money laundering in a newspaper, hiding the evidence of money laundering there, they have been found there,” Ortega said in 2021.
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