The Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) confirmed the convictions against the political prisoners Samantha Jirón and Evelyn Pinto, both of whom are being held in the Women’s Comprehensive Penitentiary Establishment (EPIM) in the municipality of Tipitapa, in Managua.
The decision of the magistrates of the Criminal Chamber was criticized by the Legal Defense Unit (UDJ) on their social networks. The organization of lawyers, which defends political prisoners, points out that said action “shows the lack of independence of the Judiciary, by confirming convictions against the political prisoners».
The UDJ explains on its Twitter account that the CSJ magistrates ignored in their decision “all the annulments and violations of due process in the corresponding legal cases” against Jirón and Pinto.
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Pinto faces a sentence of eight years in prison, plus a 500-day fine, in addition to disqualifying her from holding public office. Judge Irma Oralia Laguna Cruz, of the First Trial Court of Managua, was in charge of reading the sentence to the hostage of conscience for the alleged crimes of “conspiracy to undermine national integrity” and cybercrimes.
“During the process, the magistrates failed to resolve the petitions that were made before the criminal chamber regarding the urgency of carrying out specialized examinations and medical follow-up on both political prisoners,” denounced the UDJ.
Samantha Jirón was sentenced to eight years in prison and to pay a fine of 30,000 córdobas for the alleged crimes of “conspiracy to undermine national integrity” and for charges pursuant to the Cybercrime Law.
The regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo keeps 219 political prisoners in prison in different prisons in the country. All are subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, according to what their families have denounced.