The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (I/A Court HR) granted provisional measures in favor of four indigenous leaders of the Mayangna Sauni As community who are imprisoned in Nicaragua. The continental justice entity considers that the community members are in a “risk situation” in the cells of the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. The resolution was issued on June 27, 2023.
The beneficiaries of this measure are the territorial trustee Ignacio Celso Linen; the communal judge of Suniwás Argüello Celso Linoand the rangers Dionysus Robins Zacarias and Donald Andres Brunowho remain incarcerated in the Jorge Navarro Penitentiary System, known as “La Modelo”.
The indigenous leaders were arrested on August 23, 2021, for allegedly participating in the massacre that occurred in the Kiwakumbaih community, jurisdiction of the Mayangna Sauni As territory, in the North Caribbean of Nicaragua. The authorities blamed a group of 13 indigenous people, but managed to arrest only four.
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Despite the fact that survivors of the attack pointed to a group of approximately thirty armed men, who spoke Spanish, dressed in military clothing and used high-calibre firearms, as responsible for the crime, the police authorities continued with the investigation against the community members. .
The four indigenous people were accused of violating, torturing and sexually abusing eleven people during the massacre in the Kiwakumbaih community and on March 10, 2022, they were sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly being co-authors of the crime of aggravated murder to the detriment of nine people.
For its part, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) was in charge of notifying the Inter-American Court of the situation in which the Mayangna leaders find themselves. The report adds that the indigenous people have been subjected to torture, mistreatment, forced isolation, and have had their food, medicines, and specialized health care restricted.
In this sense, the Inter-American Court determined that “these persons are in a serious and urgent situation of suffering irreparable damage to their rights to life, personal integrity, health, and adequate food.”
The body also urged the State of Nicaragua to adopt the provisional measures granted to the four indigenous people and, in turn, ordered the immediate release of the citizens.
The notification of the provisional measures, according to the Inter-American Court, was sent this Friday, June 30, to the Sandinista administration.
On the other hand, the entity ordered the Nicaraguan regime that “while the necessary administrative procedures are completed for the immediate release of the four identified Mayangna indigenous people, proceed to guarantee dignified treatment through immediate access to health services, medicines and food. suitable»
It also requires the judicial authorities to facilitate contact with the family of community members and their lawyers. It also warns that this order cannot be used to delay the release of the beneficiaries.
