Inter-American Court orders Nicaragua to release candidate Chamorro and 13 other prisoners

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This is the third provisional measures decision issued by the Inter-American Court since last June ordering the release of imprisoned opponents and the protection of their integrity.

“Due to the exceptional circumstances of the present case, the Court finds it necessary to order the immediate release of Cristiana María Chamorro Barrios, Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Barrios, Walter Antonio Gómez Silva, Marcos Antonio Fletes Casco, Pedro Salvador Vásquez, Arturo José Cruz Sequeira, Arturo José Cruz Sequeira, Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Barrios, Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Barrios, Walter Antonio Gómez Silva, Marcos Antonio Fletes Casco, Pedro Salvador Vásquez, Arturo José Cruz Sequeira, Luis Alberto Rivas Anduray, Miguel de los Ángeles Mora Barberena, Dora María Téllez Arguello, Ana Margarita Vijil Gurdián, Suyen Barahona Cuán, Jorge Hugo Torres Jiménez, Víctor Hugo Tinoco Fonseca and José Bernard Pallais Arana,” the order states.

Cristiana Chamorro, journalist and independent presidential hopeful, daughter of former president Barrios de Chamorro and national hero Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Cardenal (1924-1978), was the opposition candidate most likely to win the elections, according to polls.

Chamorro was trying to repeat her mother’s feat, who in 1990 defeated Ortega, but her aspirations were frustrated last June 2 when she was arrested for “treason” and alleged money laundering, and placed under house arrest and deprived of contact.

The Inter-American Court explained that the case of the 14 people covered by Thursday’s resolution is part of “a context of hostility towards anyone expressing opposition to the policies of the current Nicaraguan government, its closest collaborators and workers, which has been exacerbated this year with the imminence of the general elections to be held in the coming days.”

The court adds that the arrests of these people “are the most extreme example of the process of hostility and persecution.”

“The arrests of these people have been preceded by events of stigmatization and intimidation, the arrest itself representing the most extreme example of this process of hostility and persecution. In addition to this, a number of legal proceedings have taken place in which their trusted attorney was unable to participate, thus preventing them from adequately preparing their defense,” the resolution states.

The list of the 14 people covered by these measures also includes presidential hopeful Miguel Mora, a journalist arrested for the first time during the anti-government demonstrations in April 2018.

He is founder, owner and former director of 100% Noticias TV channel, which was shut down by the authorities.

In June and September’ resolutions, the Court ordered the release of Juan Sebastián Chamorro García and Félix Maradiaga, both presidential hopefuls, as well as José Adán Aguerri Chamorro, Violeta Mercedes Granera Padill, Daisy Tamara Dávila Rivas, Lesther Lenin Alemán Alfaro and Freddy Alberto Navas López.

To date, the Nicaraguan government has not responded to the IACHR regarding compliance with these measures.