This is a translation of an update releases yesterday on the political prisoners. The original follows the translation
Public update from the relatives of recently abducted political prisoners
Tuesday, June 15, 2021 3:00pm
Since their abduction no relative has been able to see them. Our relatives have not been granted a hearing with their lawyers and defense lawyers. Nor have they accepted writs of habeas corpus, a very serious situation, because no one has been able to confirm whether they really are in the Judicial Support Office (El Chipote), nor confirm their physical integrity.
It is worth highlighting that as long as a person under arrest is not exhibited to a relative or lawyer, they find themselves in the status of a DISAPPEARED PERSON. Given this, and sticking to human rights which protect us, we demand that the State of Nicaragua fulfill its duty of accounting for the whereabouts of our relatives, as the law and the Constitution establish.
Systematically the court has appointed public lawyers in their defense, violating the right of our relatives to choose their defense. Likewise, private and secret hearings have been held without notifying relatives and lawyers. Therefore, there is a complete lack of knowledge of the legal situation and procedural status of the accusations.
In addition, we are profoundly concerned about the humanitarian issue, because among our relatives are people with serious health problems. Which is why we need that our right to know about their situations be ensured. Nor do we know whether they are being fed in a healthy and appropriate way, because we have tried on several occasions to introduce food in the Judicial Support Office, where those arrested are taken in these cases, but they have not allowed food to be taken in.
We know that some of our relatives have suffered hard blows at the moment of their capture and we do not know whether that treatment has continued in the following days, nor whether they have received medical treatment.
Freedom for all political prisoners in Nicaragua!
Relatives of:
Félix Maradiaga, Juan Sebastián Chamorro, Violeta Granera, José Pallais, Tamara Dávila, Ana Margarita Vijil, Dora María Téllez, Suyen Barahona, Hugo Torres, Victor Hugo Tinoco, Walter Gómez y Marcos Fletes
