“35 to go!”, the campaign to free the opponents imprisoned in Nicaragua

Relatives of 35 Nicaraguan opponents who did not appear on the list of 222 political prisoners released and expatriated to the United States on Thursday have now launched a campaign for the release of those remaining in prison and denounce the ill-treatment.

“From now we have started a permanent campaign for the release of the 35 political prisoners, using the hashtag #Nosfaltan35,” the group announced on a conference call Tuesday, where they introduced themselves as “Family of Nicaraguan political prisoners who have not been released.”

In a statement, the family members asked the international community, human rights organizations and governments friendly to the people of Nicaragua to “support them for the release” of their “relatives who continue to be held hostage in the country’s various prison systems.” in degrading conditions. for every human being.”

“Our relatives were on the official lists of political prisoners and were not considered for their release, unlike others who have known to have served the regime and who have been tried for common crimes, including a self-confessed paramilitary It was released. of crimes against humanity,” they added.

On February 9, Nicaraguan authorities released and expelled to the United States a group of 222 political prisoners, including 7 who tried to challenge the current president, Sandinista Daniel Ortega, for the presidency in 2021. They were charged with “treason against the fatherland”, according to the ruling of the Court of Appeal of Managua.

Sandinistas released

Among the deportees, who according to that group of relatives were not political prisoners, are former spokesman of the Supreme Court of Justice of Nicaragua Roberto Larios; the brothers María José and Hans Camacho Chévez, former advisers to the head of the judiciary, Alba Luz Ramos; former mayor Humberto Alejandro Pérez Largaespada; and the lawyer Marlon Gerardo Sáenz Cruz, known as “Chino Enoc” and who defines himself as a “historic Sandinista”.

In the document, the relatives celebrate “the release of the 217 former political prisoners (they do not include the 5 Sandinistas) who enjoy their freedom today and who have always supported this cause”.

“We invite you to continue fighting so that not a single political prisoner remains in Nicaragua, in the same way we ask countries friends of justice, democracy and freedom to speak out in favor of welcoming our relatives, in the same way, all organizations victims and civil society to join our fight,” they added.

The group also reported that their relatives have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment compared to ordinary detainees, as they do not receive medical treatment, suffer unjustified punishments such as the refusal to leave the patio, prolonged confinement, theft of one’s belongings, violent searches, degrading treatments, harassment with photos and videos during visits. The right to technical defense of their trust, among others, is also not respected.

Nicaragua has been going through a political and social crisis since April 2018, which worsened after the controversial general elections of November 7, 2021, in which Ortega was re-elected for a fifth term, fourth in a row and second together with his wife , Rosario Murillo. , as vice president, with his main contenders in prison or in exile.

Source: EFE