Six political groups of the European Parliament (EP) presented separately this Tuesday, June 7, some resolution proposals on “the instrumentalization of justice as a repressive tool in Nicaragua”. The MEPs agreed to demand the “immediate” release of all political prisoners in the country, and most of the benches demanded that the European Union (EU) impose sanctions against judges of the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The six resolution proposals will be discussed and unified in a single text, which will be voted on next Thursday. Previously, on Wednesday, there will be a debate on the situation in Nicaragua in the plenary session of the European Parliament.
In the European Parliament there are seven political groups, each made up of at least 23 MEPs. The benches with the most members are the European People’s Party (178); the Socialists and Democrats (144); and Renew Europe (100).
Although all the proposals condemn the detention and prosecution of political prisoners, groups in the European People’s Party Y Renew Europe They went further and detailed the names of 14 judges to sanction.
According to the list of both groups, the judges to sanction are: Nadia Camila Tardencilla; Angel Jeancarlos Fernández González; Ulisa Yaoska Tapia Silva; Rosa Velia Baca Cardoza; Veronica Fiallos Moncada; Luden Martin Quiroz Garcia; Karen Vanessa Chavarria; Felix Ernesto Salmeron Moreno; Nancy Aguirre Gudiel.
They complete the list: William Irving Howard López; Erick Ramón Laguna Averruz; Melvin Leopoldo Vargas Garcia; Irma Oralia Laguna Cruz and Rolando Sanarrusia.
The EU has sanctioned more than 20 high-ranking officials of the regime, including Vice President Rosario Murillo, accused of human rights violations in Nicaragua. Those sanctioned have their assets immobilized and, in addition, EU citizens and companies are subject to the prohibition of making funds available to them.
match letter
This list coincides with a request made last May by three MEPs, who urged the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, to impose sanctions against these 14 judges, who have convicted and sentenced more than fifty political prisoners in Nicaragua.
In a letter addressed to Borrell, the three MEPs point out that “impunity is increasing in Nicaragua and judges must be held directly responsible for the repression in the country”.
The letter lists the 14 judges, with their names and position; the names of the political prisoners he convicted; the alleged crimes charged; and the years of the sentences.
These judges have condemned 55 of 68 people captured in the last wave of repression in the context of the general votes of 2021. Mostly, civic, social, political, student leaders and human rights defenders, who were sentenced between seven and thirteen years in prison.
The letter was signed by MEPs Soraya Rodríguez, Javier Nart and Jordi Cañas, all three of whom are members of the political group Renovar Europa.
A month ago I asked the High Representative to propose these sanctions to judges, specifying the names and surnames of those responsible for the unlawful convictions. The EEAS has been very vocal in Nicaragua, but the Council must now move forward with concrete steps. Your answer? pic.twitter.com/7chhJRBiVb
– Soraya Rodríguez (@sorayarr_) June 6, 2022
Rodríguez shared in a tweet, this Monday, June 6, Borrell’s response, who told them that the EU “strongly condemns” the repression in Nicaragua, but reminded them that it is the European Council that has the last word on sanctions.
For the EU to impose sanctions, first the high representative of Foreign Policy must present a proposal, which is analyzed in different instances of each member country and the European Council and then passed to a vote of the ministers, which must be unanimous. The decision enters into force when it is published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
arm of repression
The Socialists group, in its draft resolution, “expresses its deepest concern about the judicial decisions that only confirm the repressive drift of the Nicaraguan regime and that the judges have become the arm of repression and therefore are responsible for human rights violations.”
Meanwhile, the group of Los Verdes or European Free Alliance “highlights that the judicial system lacks independence from the Executive Power”, so in its proposal “it expresses its concern about the manipulation of Criminal Law and the use of the justice system as a tool to criminalize the exercise of civil and political rights, such as freedom of expression and the protection of human rights.”
In the case of the European Left, they urged “the competent Nicaraguan authorities to refrain from initiating criminal proceedings with generic or disproportionate charges, based on political reasons.”
NGO cancellation
The proposals also mentioned the issue of NGO cancellations by the National Assemblydominated by the official Sandinista Front.
The Renew Europe Group made “a call to the Nicaraguan authorities to stop improperly closing NGOs and restore the legal personality of all organizations, political parties, universities and media outlets that have been arbitrarily closed, as well as to return all goods, documents and equipment improperly seized”.
The regime maintains a crusade against the social organisms that it has left 452 NGOs canceled since 2018of which 378 have been settled so far in 2022.
The group of the European Left urged “the Nicaraguan authorities to create and maintain, in law and in practice, a safe and secure environment for civil society organizations, political opponents, protesters and the media, that enables them to carry out their legitimate and useful work without undue interference.”
