Relatives of political prisoners from the country’s different prison systems demanded, at a press conference, that their relatives also be presented publicly, as happened last month with the 27 prisoners of conscience of El Chipote, well, they denounce, they are also victims of torture, mistreatment and suffer restrictions in medicines, specialized medical care, food, reading material and patio sun.
“We, as relatives of political prisoners, kidnapped by a dictatorship, demand, we demand that the Daniel Ortega regime release all political prisoners, and also that all our relatives who are in those cells be taken into account, because they are all enduring torture. , hunger and cruel treatment. That everyone be presented because everyone has rights, they do not have to be excluded, they are also political prisoners”, said Karen Lacayo, sister of political prisoner Edward Lacayo, during the conference.
The relatives urged the release of the more than 200 political prisoners from the different prisons in Nicaragua and denounced that 43 of these prisoners of conscience have been unjustly imprisoned for more than 1,000 days, after participating in the demonstrations of the April 2018 Rebellion.
“43 of our relatives have been deprived of their liberty for more than 1,000 days, just for having raised their voice against the abuses of the regime, and demanding freedom, democracy and justice for the crimes committed since 2018, being subjected to acts of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment on a permanent basis, prolonging isolation, poor nutrition and repeated denial of the right to health; In addition to the beatings, the theft of food, which we brought to them with great effort, ”they pointed out in a joint statement that they released during the press conference.
The document was signed by the Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners (AFPP), Union of Nicaraguan Political Prisoners and Prisoners (UPPN), Organization of Victims of April (OVA) and the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners and Prisoners.
The organizations highlighted that the relatives also suffer persecution and psychological torture, especially due to the threats they constantly receive against their integrity and freedom.
“We hold the regime responsible for the abuses we have suffered”
Lacayo added that most of his relatives who are political prisoners “are not being allowed conjugal visits, medicines, specialized medical attention according to their needs, because several have chronic diseases and are elderly, they are not allowed the food that one as a family member He wears them, they have even been stolen on several occasions, and there is little access to the sun patio.”
He mentioned that the political prisoner William Caldera, from Masaya, according to what his relatives have informed him, was transferred to a punishment cell in the Jorge Navarro Penitentiary System, known as La Modelo, he is sick and does not have access to his medicines.
“The political hostage is very sick. He has not been allowed to pass his glasses or his medicines, according to the information I have received from his family, but not only him but the other political prisoners who are not allowed to pass their medicines, his glasses . He tells me that he is suffering from headaches, nausea, and there are other political prisoners with symptoms of a stroke, others with heart problems, hypertension and asthma”, he denounced.
Forcefulness of the international community is urgently needed
The organizations of relatives of political prisoners urged that the international community be “more belligerent in the defense of freedoms and human rights in Nicaragua, because Ortega’s impunity is a breeding ground for the emergence of authoritarianism throughout the continent.”
They urged the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross to “continue the pressure and demand for power verify the physical and mental state of our relatives”.
In addition, they urged Pope Francis to accompany their demands for freedom for all political prisoners in Nicaragua and “demand the end of the repression, which this time has extended to members of the Catholic Church, imprisoning a bishop and members of the clergy, forcing other priests into exile and persecuting Catholics in the country who oppose authoritarianism.”
They also urged countries such as the United States, Canada, and the European Union, which have demonstrated their commitment to democracy and the defense of the human rights of Nicaraguans, to “reinforce the pressure in order to achieve the restoration of the freedoms democratic in Nicaragua.
