Following the same script of the last two months of political trials, the Ortega judge Nadia Camila Tardencilla Rodríguez, head of the Second Criminal District Court of Managua, confirmed on March 31 the sentence of nine years in prison, requested by the Ministry Public against the political prisoner Juan Lorenzo Holmann, general manager of the newspaper La Prensa.
La Prensa denounced that its general manager was also disqualified from exercising his “profession, trade or position for nine years” and that a “financial fine” was imposed on him.
CONFIDENTIAL learned that the economic fine imposed on Holmann amounts to 56,961,299.43 cordobas and 1,621,586.85 dollars, equivalent to “three times the value of the money, property and assets” that he allegedly laundered.
On March 23 last, Ortega justice convicted Holmann for the alleged crime of laundering money, property and assets. Although, the defense of the political prisoner indicated —according to reports from La Prensa— that the Prosecutor’s Office was unable to prove the commission of the alleged crime.
Holmann’s defense has also pointed out illegalities and arbitrariness committed during the process. Some of these included holding the preliminary and initial hearings in a “secret” manner, without the political prisoner being assisted by his legal team, since they were not notified to participate as established by law; the late access to the case file against Holmann; the lack of a private meeting with the defendant; the presentation of agents of the National Police as witnesses and the use of evidence that “did not prove anything.”
The general manager of La Prensa, upon being sentenced by the Ortega justice system, declared himself “innocent” and reiterated that he had not committed “any crime.”
He also expressed that “if I am going to receive a punishment for having the surname Chamorro second, then I am willing to comply with it,” noting that he feels “proud to belong to the family that I have, in which my parents raised me with moral and Christian values.” ”.
Holmann has been detained since August 14, 2021 in the cells of the Evaristo Vásquez police complex, known as El Chipote. His imprisonment occurred 24 hours after the newspaper La Prensa was raided and seized by the Police of the Ortega-Murillo regime.
Prior to being arrested, the political prisoner was never informed that he was the subject of an investigation for money laundering. In June 2021, the general manager of La Prensa was even summoned by the Public Ministry, as a “witness”, in the alleged money laundering case opened against the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation (FVBCh), but he was not told that was investigated or charged with a crime.
DD defenders. H H. reject sentence against Holmann
National and international organizations rejected the sentence and sentence imposed by the Ortega-Murillo regime against the general manager of La Prensa. The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights expressed its “most strongly condemns” and indicated that “these are null sentences” and that all political prisoners “are innocent.”
“The Cenidh demands immediate freedom for Juan Lorenzo Holmann and other political prisoners,” said the rights organization through its social networks.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, referring to the conviction against Holmann, pointed out that the Nicaraguan authorities “opted a hard line instead of a negotiated solution to the crisis that began in 2018.”
“Unfortunately, it is not the first time that we have seen legal procedures in Nicaragua that do not respect due process and the necessary standards for a fair trial,” said the high commissioner in a written response to a question from Efe.
Confinement continues to deteriorate Holmann’s health
The health of the prisoner of conscience, in these more than seven months of confinement, has deteriorated constantly. Relatives of Holmann have denounced, after the visit they had on March 19, that the health of her relative continues to deteriorate, since they perceived that she has a lump in the abdomen, pain in the groin and fungus on her hands and feet.
The general manager of La Prensa also suffers from a dark spot on his right eye, constant dehydration and generalized weakness. In addition to the heart and prostate problems that he suffered from before being imprisoned.
Holmann, prior to being locked up in El Chipote, underwent an operation for mitral valve problems and aortic condition, and, according to the demands of his relatives, he should be periodically checked by specialists.
The family of the prisoner of conscience has rejected the process against Holmann and demanded his immediate release. They have also denounced that their relative is repeatedly subjected, like other political prisoners in El Chipote, to practices considered torture, including: deprivation of visits on a regular basis, constant interrogations, reduced access to hours of sun patio and restriction of reading material, specialized medical attention according to his ailments and a precarious diet that has led him to lose weight irregularly.
