The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | OHCHR
OHCHR Press Conference: Launch of the First Report of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua 02MAR2023
Crimes against humanity likely committed in Nicaragua, says independent rights probe
Crimes against humanity in Nicaragua that have held the population “hostage” have likely been committed by pro-Government groups and sanctioned at the highest level since 2018, UN-appointed independent rights investigators said on Thursday.
Unveiling their findings which are to be delivered to the Human Rights Council on Friday, the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua urged the international community to impose sanctions on those responsible.
The experts concluded that President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo “put into practice these crimes” which continue today.
“Based on this investigation, we can conclude that widespread and systematic human rights violations that amount to crimes against humanity - and are motivated by political reasons - have been committed against civilians by the Nicaraguan Government since 2018,” said Jan Simon, Chair of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua.
He told journalists: “They have been weaponizing the justice system, weaponizing the legislative function, weaponizing the executive function of the State against the population.”
From testimonies gathered, the expert report identified a pattern of extrajudicial executions carried out by agents of the National Police and members of pro-government armed groups.
It is believed that they acted “in a joint and coordinated manner” during anti-government protests between April and September 2018.
“These violations continue to be committed today,” Mr. Simon continued, who noted that the result was Nicaraguans “living in fear” of the Government.
“The scale you’re looking at it is in terms of executions… is more than 100; if it comes to torture, we would come to several hundred (or) even more and if it comes to arbitrary detentions, this goes well beyond this number. Given then the other violations under political persecution, (it comes to) several thousand.”
Asked to confirm the scope of the investigation, co-author Ángela María Buitrago explained that information had been calculated and corroborated on extrajudicial executions, torture and preventive detentions. “There is an unlimited number of elements that allow us to compile this report and its contents about the people who have been threatened,” she said.
The report - which called on the Government to release all persons arbitrarily deprived of their liberty immediately, also indicated that agents of the National Police and the National Penitentiary System and members of pro-government armed groups “committed acts of physical and psychological torture, including sexual and gender-based violence” during arrests, interrogation and detention of opponents.
Highlighting how the Nicaraguan authorities had managed to carry out its terrifying campaign of rights violations, Mr. Simon insisted that they were “not isolated incidents, but the product of the deliberate dismantling of democratic institutions and destruction of civic and democratic space”
He added: “These violations and abuses are being perpetrated in a widespread and systematic manner for political reasons, constituting the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment, torture, including sexual violence, deportation and persecution on political grounds.”
ends
STORY: Nicaragua Crimes Against Humanity – Rights Experts
TRT: 2 mins 35s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / SPANISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 2 March 2023 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a bright day.
- Wide shot, press conference, podium speakers to rear, journalists seated.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Jan Simon, Chair of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua: “Based on this investigation, we can conclude that widespread and systematic human rights violations that amount to crimes against humanity - and are motivated by political reasons - have been committed against civilians by the Nicaraguan Government since 2018.”
- Wide, view of press conference from podium.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Jan Simon, Chair of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua: “They have been weaponizing the justice system, weaponizing the legislative function, weaponizing the executive function of the State against the population.”
- Medium, press room, journalists and podium speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (Spanish) — Ángela María Buitrago, member of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua: « En términos concretos, sٌí hay, digamos, una aproximación a cifras que han sido también aumentadas o, particularmente corroboradas con otros elementos y digamos que en ejecuciones extrajudiciales, en torturas , en detenciones preventivas hay un sin número de elementos que permite dar el informe en su contenido sobre las personas que han sido objeto de estos actos » (“In concrete terms, it is possible to have approximate numbers, that have been calculated and corroborated by a number of other elements, and these other elements are extrajudicial execution, torture and preventive detentions. There is an unlimited number of elements that allow us to compile this report and its contents about the people who have been threatened.”)
- Medium-wide, press room journalists, TV camera operator.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Jan Simon, Chair of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua: “These violations continue to be committed today. The violations include extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detentions, torture, arbitrary deprivation of nationality and violations of the right to remain in one's own country.”
- Wide, press conference room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Jan Simon, Chair of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua: “They are not isolated incidents, but the product of the deliberate dismantling of democratic institutions and destruction of civic and democratic space.”
- Medium-wide, press room, journalist standing to take photo with mobile.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Jan Simon, Chair of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua: “These violations and abuses are being perpetrated in a widespread and systematic manner for political reasons, constituting the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment, torture, including sexual violence, deportation and persecution on political grounds.”
- Medium-wide, journalists following proceedings, seated.
- Medium-wide, journalists following proceedings, seated in front of interpreters’ booths.
- Medium, TV cameras and technician in foreground, screen featuring rights expert to rear.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The telecommunications shutdowns in Afghanistan in September had serious and far-reaching impacts on people’s lives, according to a briefing paper published today by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence at the UN Geneva press briefing made the following comment on the ASEAN declaration on the right to a healthy environment.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , OCHA , WMO
‘Catastrophic’ Hurricane Melissa hours from landfall in Jamaica as humanitarians rush to save lives
Millions in Jamaica and across the Caribbean are bracing for massive impact from Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday as the UN and partners are warning of a “severe” and “immediate” humanitarian threat.
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘We need all routes to open’: in Gaza WHO calls for ramp-up of medevacs, easier access for essentials
Two weeks since a ceasefire agreement entered into force in Gaza the World Health Organization (WHO) noted progress on the flow of aid while calling for more evacuations of critical patients and eased entry for essential medicines and supplies.
1
12
1
1
Edited News | WMO , UNITED NATIONS
UN chief urges boost to life-saving weather warning systems, stresses role of climate change science
No country is safe from the devastating impacts of extreme weather — and saving lives means making early-warning systems accessible to all, UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
Gazans’ response to food distributions ‘overwhelming’ as humanitarians scale up under fragile ceasefire
In Gaza, the ceasefire is enabling UN humanitarians to reach more desperate people with life-saving food, but greater access is needed to contain the spread of famine.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP , OCHA
UN urges opening of all Gaza crossings to deliver three-month food supply
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned food aid cannot reach everyone in Gaza unless all border crossings are opened, particularly in the north where famine was declared in August. The agency says it already has enough supplies in place to feed the entire population of the Strip for three months – if full access is granted by Israel.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNDP , UNICEF , OCHA , ICRC
Around $70 billion will be needed to reconstruct Gaza and make it safe after two years of war, UN development experts said on Tuesday, while aid agencies reported that far too little aid continues to reach desperate Palestinians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday welcomed the Nobel Peace Prize committee’s decision to name Maria Machado as this year’s laureate, in recognition of her work promoting the Venezuelan people’s democratic hopes.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , UNICEF , WHO
As Gazans jammed the main route leading north on Friday after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced, UN aid teams repeated their call to open all crossings into the devastated enclave to prevent famine spreading.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , WHO
Two years of Gaza-Israel war bring ‘indescribable’ pain: UN humanitarians
Two years since the Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel, UN humanitarians on Tuesday reiterated calls for the release of all hostages in Gaza, an immediate ceasefire and an aid surge to alleviate Palestinians’ suffering, as talks on a US-driven peace plan continued in Egypt.
1
1
1
Edited News
Syria prison survivor seeks justice for the missing with UN backing.