{"code":"25991","sect":"Central America","sect_slug":"central-america","hits":"580","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/en\/202202\/centroamerica\/25991","link_edit":"","name":"Sham Trials Begin for Nicaraguan Political Prisoners","slug":"sham-trials-begin-for-nicaraguan-political-prisoners","info":"Nicaragua, in Brief: The dozens of political prisoners jailed last year to prevent the opposition from participating in the November elections began their trials this week, resulting in swift convictions behind closed doors with no due process. The government is taking other measures to stifle dissent by cancelling the legal standing of five private universities. Subscribe to our newsletter","mtag":"Newsletter","noun":{"html":"El Faro English","data":{"el-faro-english":{"sort":"","slug":"el-faro-english","path":"el_faro_english","name":"El Faro English","edge":"0","init":"0"}}},"view":"580","pict":{"cms-image-000033987-jpg":{"feat":"1","sort":"33987","name":"cms-image-000033987.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000033987.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000033987.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000033987-jpg","text":"<p>John \"Tigrillo\" Cerna, a student leader and participant in Nicaragua's 2018 mass anti-government protest movement. For much of that year, John Cerna stayed underground to protect his life. Following his arrest in February 2020, he was convicted of illegal possession and sale of drugs and convicted to 12 years in prison. Photo: Franklin Villavicencio\/Confidencial<\/p>","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn \"Tigrillo\" Cerna, a student leader and participant in Nicaragua's 2018 mass anti-government protest movement. For much of that year, John Cerna stayed underground to protect his life. Following his arrest in February 2020, he was convicted of illegal possession and sale of drugs and convicted to 12 years in prison. Photo: Franklin Villavicencio\/Confidencial\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000036990-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"36990","name":"cms-image-000036990.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000036990.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000036990.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000036990-jpg","text":"","capt":""},"cms-image-000036991-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"36991","name":"cms-image-000036991.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000036991.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000036991.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000036991-jpg","text":"<p>A student codenamed \"Minimb\u00f3\" was shot in both arms in the early hours of Jun. 23, 2018, during a police assault on the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Managua. Photo: Fred Ramos\/El Faro<\/p>","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EA student codenamed \"Minimb\u00f3\" was shot in both arms in the early hours of Jun. 23, 2018, during a police assault on the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Managua. Photo: Fred Ramos\/El Faro\u003C\/p\u003E"}},"pict_main__sort":33987,"date":{"live":"2022\/02\/03"},"data_post_dateLive_YY":"2022","data_post_dateLive_MM":"02","data_post_dateLive_DD":"03","text":"\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EEach political prisoner\u2019s trial \u003Cstrong\u003Ehas lasted less than a day\u003C\/strong\u003E in Managua. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.articulo66.com\/2022\/02\/01\/yader-parajon-preso-politico-juicio-politico-nicaragua\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003EYader Paraj\u00f3n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 brother of protester Jimmy Paraj\u00f3n, killed in May 2018 \u2014 and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.articulo66.com\/2022\/02\/01\/justicia-orteguista-declara-culpables-a-los-presos-politicos-yader-parajon-y-yaser-vado\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003EYaser \u201cMuhamar\u201d Vado Gonz\u00e1lez\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, member of opposition party Unamos (formerly known as Sandinista Reformist Movement or MRS), were convicted Tuesday; Ana Margarita Vijil, prominent feminist leader and former Unamos president, Wednesday; Dora Mar\u00eda T\u00e9llez, former Sandinista commander and MRS founder, and Lesther Alem\u00e1n, prominent student leader, Thursday.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOn top of 15 years in prison, 66-year-old T\u00e9llez is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PiruloAr\/status\/1489365461703794700\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Ebarred\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E from ever holding public office.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe political prisoners were \u003Cstrong\u003Eaccused of crimes against the sovereignty of Nicaragua\u003C\/strong\u003E, under the controversial \u20181055 Law\u2019 passed in December 2020 to \u201cdefend the rights of the people to independence, sovereignty, and self-determination.\u201d The law was widely condemned by international human rights monitors as a way to criminalize dissent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EEven before the trials started, families \u003Cstrong\u003Efeared the outcomes were already decided\u003C\/strong\u003E. An anonymous relative of Paraj\u00f3n \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.articulo66.com\/2022\/02\/01\/yader-parajon-preso-politico-juicio-politico-nicaragua\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Etold\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E Art\u00edculo 66 that a guilty verdict was expected: \u201cThere is nothing that gives us encouragement for the release of all of these people who are unjustly imprisoned.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=800&ImageHeight=533&ImageId=33987 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"John \"Tigrillo\" Cerna, a student leader and participant in Nicaragua's 2018 mass anti-government protest movement. For much of that year, John Cerna stayed underground to protect his life. Following his arrest in February 2020, he was convicted of illegal possession and sale of drugs and convicted to 12 years in prison. Photo: Franklin Villavicencio\/Confidencial\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E John \"Tigrillo\" Cerna, a student leader and participant in Nicaragua's 2018 mass anti-government protest movement. For much of that year, John Cerna stayed underground to protect his life. Following his arrest in February 2020, he was convicted of illegal possession and sale of drugs and convicted to 12 years in prison. Photo: Franklin Villavicencio\/Confidencial \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe trials were held in the new \u201cEl Chipote\u201d jail complex with riot squads standing guard, rather than at \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.laprensani.com\/2022\/02\/03\/nacionales\/2945915-madre-de-lesther-aleman-entra-al-juicio-contra-lider-estudiantil-en-la-daj\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Epublic courthouses\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, as Nicaraguan law requires. Officials did not want to allow families to attend, although one member of Vijil\u2019s family was eventually \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cenidh\/status\/1488952170796007426\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Eallowed inside\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E after insisting. \u003Cstrong\u003EThe authorities did not, however, allow relatives to give Vijil food.\u00a0\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlem\u00e1n\u2019s mother and T\u00e9llez\u2019s brother were also allowed inside, but were not allowed to bring their cell phones. Journalist and presidential candidate Miguel Mora\u2019s trial is scheduled for Friday. Just about a week before, on Jan. 25, families of political prisoners held a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.articulo66.com\/2022\/01\/25\/familiares-presos-politicos-nicaragua-dialogo-puentes-daniel-ortega\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Epress conference\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E calling for the \u003Cstrong\u003Efreedom of political prisoners as the basis for dialogue.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ETheir freedom is \u201cnot a matter of political partisanship, nor is it a maneuver in a struggle for power,\u201d the families said in the statement, but rather an \u201cinitial step in a process that leads to a greater level of serenity for Nicaraguan homes, within and outside our borders, and which helps to eventually reduce fissures in our society.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EInstead, the government \u003Cstrong\u003Erestarted the trials after months of delay\u003C\/strong\u003E because of a supposed \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.confidencial.com.ni\/english\/ortega-sets-the-trials-of-political-prisoners-in-motion\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Eoverload\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E of court cases. The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) called this week\u2019s convictions a \u201c\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cenidh\/status\/1488704426210648070\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Edeepening of repression\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s evident once again that the Judicial Power behaves as the most cruel and cowardly instrument of repression, that acts with premeditation and deviating from the legal precepts that govern them,\u201d CENIDH \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cenidh\/status\/1488704428660207617\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Etweeted\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECancelled Universities\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe Ortega-Murillo government also \u003Cstrong\u003Emoved against another perceived foe on Wednesday: private universities\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ENicaragua\u2019s Congress voted to cancel the legal permits of five of them, \u003Cstrong\u003Eincluding the Polytechnic University of Nicaragua\u003C\/strong\u003E (Upoli), the center of the 2018 protests in Managua. Most of the universities have \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.vozdeamerica.com\/a\/gobierno-de-ortega-cancela-personeria-juridica-a-cinco-universidades-privadas-en-nicaragua\/6424045.html\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Eties to the Catholic church\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a vocal critic of the Ortega government in recent years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe government argued that the universities did not comply with anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism laws. Ortega already took the same action against other universities in the aftermath of 2018, uprooting the educational plans of thousands of Nicaraguan students. Last year the legal standing of Nicaraguan NGOs such as the Violeta Barrios Foundation \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202111\/el_salvador\/0000025837-bukele-to-control-ngos-and-media-funding\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Ewas also annulled\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, for refusing to register as \u201cforeign agents.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIn 2018, university \u003Cstrong\u003Estudents were a \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\"\/es\/201804\/centroamerica\/21819\/Nicaragua-los-estudiantes-buscan-l%C3%ADderes.htm\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Emajor driver of the protest movement\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E against the Ortega-Murillo government known as the \u201cApril Rebellion.\u201d They \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/201807\/ef_foto\/22205\/Atrincherados-en-la-Universidad-de-Nicaragua.htm\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Earmed\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E themselves with makeshift weapons and created barricades inside the National Autonomous University of Managua. Police and pro-government militias were better armed, and \u003Cstrong\u003Eat least \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/students-in-nicaragua-trapped-in-church-amid-gunfire-by-pro-government-militias\/2018\/07\/14\/c7f04512-86e3-11e8-9e06-4db52ac42e05_story.html\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003E300 people were killed\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E in the protests.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=2000&ImageHeight=1336&ImageId=36991 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"A student codenamed \"Minimb\u00f3\" was shot in both arms in the early hours of Jun. 23, 2018, during a police assault on the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Managua. Photo: Fred Ramos\/El Faro\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E A student codenamed \"Minimb\u00f3\" was shot in both arms in the early hours of Jun. 23, 2018, during a police assault on the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Managua. Photo: Fred Ramos\/El Faro \u003Cdiv class=\"photographer text_italic rule--ss_l tint-text--idle\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EMany of these student leaders, like the group \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/201810\/centroamerica\/22579\/Daniel-Ortega-los-chavalos-y-la-tenebrosa-m%C3%A1quina-del-tiempo.htm\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Eprofiled\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E by El Faro\u2019s Carlos Mart\u00ednez in 2018, were forced into hiding, exile, or imprisoned \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202008\/columnas\/24703\/Nicaraguan-Youth-Heroes-or-Villains.htm\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Eas they fought for a place in the fractious political opposition\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Since 2018, authorities have branded university students as enemies, and campuses as breeding grounds for treason.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis new round of cancellations affects about 2,000 students. \u201c\u003Cstrong\u003EThey want to eliminate the critical thinking of young people\u003C\/strong\u003E, who are the present and future of the country,\u201d student Heyling Marenco \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/cambiopolitico.com\/cierre-de-universidades-en-nicaragua-ortega-quiere-acabar-con-el-pensamiento-critico\/180283\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Etold\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E Voice of America. An expert told the U.S. government-run media outlet that the move seeks to centralize education in Nicaragua so that the state \u201cdecides and controls everything.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EMeanwhile, a \u003Cstrong\u003Erecord number of Nicaraguans are fleeing the country\u003C\/strong\u003E. More than \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.confidencial.com.ni\/english\/how-daniel-ortega-became-the-secret-password-to-get-into-the-u-s\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003E50,000 Nicaraguans\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E were detained at the U.S. border from October 2020 to September 2021, an 1,500% increase from the same period the year before, reports Nicaraguan partner outlet Confidencial.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ENicaraguan Bishop Silvio Jos\u00e9 B\u00e1ez \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.confidencial.com.ni\/english\/how-daniel-ortega-became-the-secret-password-to-get-into-the-u-s\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Etold\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E Confidencial that youth are overrepresented among Nicaraguan migrants. \u201cI wish I could tell them to stay in Nicaragua and not to take the risk of coming here. It\u2019s an extremely dangerous journey and they\u2019re putting their lives at risk,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I also know that many people can\u2019t continue to live in Nicaragua, and that breaks my heart.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThanks for your time. P\u200blease pass along our work and \u003Cstrong\u003Econsider funding independent journalism in Central America, \u003C\/strong\u003Ein its most critical hour, at\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/elfaro.us19.list-manage.com\/track\/click?u=a822abdb775cca5db840e11e5&id=fc5d0e1ebe&e=3e101df639&utm_source=DB+El+Faro_English&utm_campaign=285a2ba333-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_22_01_08_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3ec9190c89-285a2ba333-\"\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003Esupport.elfaro.net\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/support.elfaro.net\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=1440&ImageHeight=380&ImageId=36990 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"photographer text_italic rule--ss_l tint-text--idle\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"}