The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted precautionary measures to the general manager of the newspaper La Prensa and current political prisoner Juan Lorenzo Holmann Chamorroas well as his family.
Resolution number 49/2022 was issued on September 29 after considering that both Holmann and his family “are in a serious and urgent situation of risk of irreparable damage to their rights in Nicaragua.”
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The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh) was the one who requested the measures and this Friday, September 30, the approval of the granting of said measures was notified.
In the press release, the IACHR states that “according to the requesting organization (Cenidh), Juan Lorenzo Holmann Chamorro, general manager of the newspaper La Prensa, an independent media outlet, is being held in the facilities of the Directorate for Judicial Assistance, known as as “new Chipote”, in inadequate conditions and without necessary, timely and adequate medical care to attend to their health».
Given these accusations, the agency affirms that it requested information from the State of Nicaragua “in the terms of article 25 of its Regulations, without receiving a response.”
However, based on the complaints and evidence about Holmann’s situation, the agency affirms that the prisoner of conscience and his family “are in a situation of risk, persist to date and are considered susceptible to increase, in the current context of the country.
He emphasizes the relatives of Holmann Chamorro and the prisoner of conscience would be at risk of possible reprisals “and considering the actions of harassment and harassment to which his wife has been subjected.”
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“Furthermore, the Commission highlighted its concern about the effects on the right to freedom of expression and about a series of events against the newspaper La Prensa, in a context of pressure, delays, and withholding of materials, reaching the peak of currently existing a “de facto confiscation” of the newspaper’s facilities,” added the IACHR.
They demand respect for the rights of Holmann Chamorro
Among the measures demanded by the agency in favor of Holman Chamorro is to ensure that the conditions of detention are compatible with the applicable international standards on the matter.
It also calls “to ensure that he is not subjected to threats, intimidation, harassment or aggression inside the penitentiary, —currently being held in the cells of the Directorate of Judicial Assistance (DAJ) in Managua—.
They also demand that he be guaranteed access to adequate and specialized medical care, “and that a specialized medical assessment of his health situation be carried out immediately. In addition, that he be granted the necessary treatments and medications to treat his ailments and that, in light of the beneficiary’s conditions of detention and health, the granting of alternative measures to the deprivation of liberty be assessed.
“Adopt the necessary measures so that Juan Lorenzo Holmann Chamorro can carry out his activities without being subjected to acts of violence, intimidation, threats, or harassment in the performance of his duties. The foregoing includes the adoption of measures so that he can duly exercise his right to freedom of expression,” remark.
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The IACHR asked the Ortega regime to report within 15 days from the day following this resolution, on the adoption of the required precautionary measures and to update said information periodically.
For its part, the Cenidh demanded that the government of Daniel Ortega, the Ortega regime and Rosario Murillo comply with what is required, they also demand that both Holmann Chamorro and all political prisoners be released immediately.
The political prisoner has been locked up for more than a year in the Evaristo Vásquez Police Complex, better known as “El Nuevo Chipote”, where he is subjected to torture, constant interrogations, poor nutrition and inhumane treatment, according to complaints from his relatives.
The opponent was arrested on August 14, 2021, after the dictatorship raided the facilities of La Prensa and took it over. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for the alleged crime of money laundering.
