BOGOTÁ — The government of Daniel Ortega has committed the «worst» practices of human rights violations in the world, according to Juan Carlos Arce from the Human Rights collective «Nicaragua Nunca Más» during his visit to Colombia. He revealed the grave situation regarding basic rights in his country. The report, presented in San Jose, Costa Rica, where Arce currently lives in exile, includes testimonials from victims of persecution, imprisonment, and torture in Nicaragua. The accuracy of this information could not be independently confirmed, as the Ortega government rarely reports on alleged human rights violations or incidents related to the opposition, apart from arrests and convictions involving opponents. The Managua government has also insisted that the opposition has been trying to oust them from power since 2018, when a sociopolitical crisis began as a result of protests that led many to prison, exile, or displacement within Nicaragua. Arce, in an interview on Friday, July 28 with Voice of America, emphasized that his visit to Colombia is focused on «exchanging» ideas with different actors of Colombian civil society regarding their «experiences» in denouncing human rights violations. He stated, «In Colombia, we seek to learn from representatives of civil society what they are doing and how they are documenting reports of human rights violations because what is happening in Nicaragua is one of the most serious experiences in the region.» He added, «In Latin America, there is a pattern of total impunity not only in crimes committed by the state, but also by paramilitary forces.» This interview has been edited for length and clarity. VOA: What has happened to the victims and who are the main perpetrators according to the report? Arce: «The majority of the victims are in exile precisely because they are demanding justice in these cases that are in complete impunity. In the report, we have identified 154 names of perpetrators at all levels, from prison officials, but especially from the national police, which has become one of the main tools for persecution by the regime.» VOA: How did the NGO «Nicaragua Nunca Más» collect data on all the alleged cases of human rights violations reported in this document during your exile? Arce: «From the beginning, the most important thing is to establish a process that is as humane as possible because the victims are not just a source of information but people whose souls have been destroyed, and that is an important aspect. On the other hand, another aspect that we have incorporated into our linear documentation protocol is the Istanbul Protocol, which is the protocol for victims of torture. It is a very complex interdisciplinary work, but it must be done.» VOA: Have these cases exposed in your report been presented to any international judicial body? Arce: «Last year, the Committee Against Torture conducted an analysis of the situation in Nicaragua. It is not a judicial body, but it is a United Nations body. The Nicaraguan state did not appear because it is disregarding any protection mechanism. The United Nations also created the group of experts for Nicaragua, known as GHREN, which presented a report confirming the commission of crimes against humanity in Nicaragua.» VOA: Is the government of Daniel Ortega aware of this report? Arce: «Surely the government is aware of our work. In fact, the president of our organization was stripped of his nationality as retaliation for the work we do. In this stage, the regime has made it clear that even if you are outside the national territory, you can become a victim of reprisals.» Read also Nicaragua: Accounts in Exile VOA: Has the government of Daniel Ortega insisted that the opposition has tried to remove him from power through a «coup d’état»? Arce: «That has been the narrative since 2018. Approximately 600,000 people have left the country due to political reasons and the economic crisis. They cannot be part of a coup d’état. Demanding freedom, democracy, and justice cannot be arguments to claim that this is a coup d’état. What we are asking for, at least in my refugee status in Costa Rica, is to be able to return to my home with minimum guarantees where all of this that I have just mentioned exists, and currently none of that exists.» VOA: What are your expectations with this report? Arce: «The biggest dream that Nicaraguans have is justice. Nicaragua has been marked by impunity with 52 amnesties. This vicious circle of dictatorship after dictatorship, first with Somoza and now with Ortega, is due to a lack of memory and justice. Hopefully, the solution to the crisis comes with justice and reparation for the victims, truth, and memory. Dictators will leave, but they will leave behind a shattered country with a destroyed social fabric. I am convinced that we will overcome this together.» The investigation The investigation reveals 40 types of torture, including sexual violence, death threats, forced disappearances, extreme and inhumane detention conditions, beatings, burns, electric shocks, hangings, simulated execution or murder, among others. Of the 158 reported cases, they emphasize that 113 victims experienced sexual violence. The Nicaraguan government has not commented on this report. However, the Ortega government has repeatedly denied practicing torture in the Central American country. Meanwhile, the Group of Experts on Human Rights in Nicaragua has stated that «serious human rights violations and abuses have been committed and continue to be perpetrated in Nicaragua.» Similarly, the Organization of American States (OAS) recently passed a resolution condemning human rights violations in Nicaragua and urged the government of Daniel Ortega to put an end to these violations. Connect with Voice of America! Subscribe to our YouTube and WhatsApp channels. Also, enable notifications or follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Fuente de TenemosNoticias.com: www.vozdeamerica.com
Publicado el: 2023-08-02 18:47:41
En la sección: América Latina – Voice of America