The Inter-American Legal Assistance Center for Human Rights (Calidh) rejected the 10-year prison sentence against Father Óscar Benavidez, parish priest of Mulukukú, in the Diocese of Siuna.
The religious man was found guilty on January 16 for the alleged crimes of conspiracy to undermine national integrity and propagation of false news to the detriment of the State and Nicaraguan society.
Related news: Father Óscar Benavidez, parish priest of Mulukukú, is sentenced to 10 years in prison
“CALIDH continues to closely observe with concern the pattern of persecution against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, a context in which religious and lay people are being subjected to arbitrary trials (…),” the organization said.
Likewise, it rejected the guilty ruling of Father Ramiro Tijerino, rector of the Juan Pablo II University and in charge of the San Juan Bautista parish; José Luis Díaz and Sadiel Eugarrios, first and second vicar of the Matagalpa de San Pedro Cathedral, respectively, deacon Raúl Vega González, seminarians Darvin Leiva Mendoza and Melkin Centeno, and cameraman Sergio Cárdenas, who accompanied them for 16 days in the Matagalpa Episcopal Curia to Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, Ortega’s new political prisoner.
After the attack against the religious, the center stated that all the trials, convictions and sentences “are absolutely
null because they occur within the framework of non-observance of the guarantees of due process inherent to all human beings.
“Guarantees have been disrespected, such as those of hearing and being heard, the right to a fair trial and an impartial judge, an adequate defense, the presentation of evidence, among others,” Calidh denounced.
Related news: Regime finds father Óscar Benavidez, from Mulukukú, guilty
In addition, he emphasized that the laws used by the Ortega judiciary to condemn religious “break the principle of presumption of innocence because they were specially adopted to censor, punish, and take revenge on specific people, such as voices in opposition to the Nicaraguan government.”
«The Center reiterates that the persecution of religious groups or collectivities is prohibited by International Law. The conviction of Father Benavidez and the conviction of other religious and lay people are evidence of this persecution perpetrated by the State of Nicaragua. The
The imposition of penalties as forms of revenge for opinions is unacceptable,” the agency stressed.
Ortega’s revenge against priests
For Calidh, the open contempt” of the State of Nicaragua for the dignity and respect for basic human rights, “including the guarantees of due process, of each priest or layperson subjected to an arbitrary trial is worrisome.
«All this confirms once again that the purpose is to carry out a revenge that violates rights. In revenge there is no justice and therefore, the rights of the defendants are disregarded as part of the government reprimand,” he said.
The organization stressed that despite the arbitrariness against the Catholic Church of Nicaragua, “neither the laws, nor the sentences, nor the sentences are above the rights. The human rights of those persecuted, prosecuted and convicted are above the law and any arbitrary state action.
The attack against Father Óscar Benavidez
The priest Óscar Benavidez was captured by the regime Police on August 14, 2022, the apprehension was reported by the Diocese of Siuna on its social networks. At that time, the Diocese affirmed that the “sole mission” of the priest “is and has been to announce the good news of Jesus Christ, who is the word of life and salvation for all.”
The religious is originally from San Isidro, Matagalpa, he had been in charge of the Espíritu Santo parish in Mulukukú for a little over three months. His parishioners have expressed that he is a very loved person in the town. On December 12, 2022, Father Óscar Benavidez turned 50 and the first in the cells of the National Penitentiary System (SPN) Jorge Navarro in Tipitapa.
Related news: “Arbitrary and unfounded”, this is how they call the arrest of Father Óscar Benavidez
To blame him for the crime of cybercrimes, the ruling party presented an article from a media outlet sent to the parish priest’s WhatsApp, which made reference to the sanctions imposed by democratic governments on Ortega-Murillo government officials.
The Nicaraguan dictatorship has been merciless against the Catholic Church. He has branded priests and bishops “diabolical” and “traitors.” Little by little, Ortega has been adding to the list of imprisoned priests, adding 14 religious who are part of legal proceedings against him.
