Civil society organizations, think tanks, and human rights defenders denounce the measures taken against the Institute of Strategic Studies and Public Policy (IEEPP) by the Nicaraguan government

October 15, 2018

On Friday September 28, the Nicaraguan police conducted a search and seizure operation at the offices of the Institute of Strategic Studies and Public Policy (IEEPP).

The news was widely covered. The Spanish newspaper El Pa√≠s reported on September 30, “The Ortega government has accused IEEPP and its Director, F√©llix Maradiaga, of financing acts of “terrorism” to destabilize the Sandinista regime. The police confiscated documents and computers from IEEPP’s offices, located in the central San Juan District of Managua.”

IEEPP is a think tank focused on security and public transparency, with extensive experience and recognition in the region. Maradiaga, who is currently in exile, participated in a recent session of the UN Security Council to support denunciations against the Ortega government for the criminalization of public protest, lack of a rule of law, and systemic violation of human rights.

Both the Venezuelan and Nicaraguan regimes are confronting dissidents, criticism, and civil protest through non-democratic mechanisms that criminalize legitimate citizen action. In both countries, there is a recurring pattern of repression by police and military forces that band together with armed groups. There has been a closing of democratic space for the exercise of free expression, peaceful protest, citizen participation, and free association accompanied by the direct censorship of the media and the coercion, harassment, and intimidation of journalists and citizens that reject these abuses of power by the government.

The undersigned organizations reject these policies and express their total solidarity with IEEPP and Nicaraguan civil society that, free and autonomous, claims rights, justice, and democracy.

October 2018

Signed

A.C. Cedisuc, Venezuela

Acceso a la Justicia, Venezuela

Asamblea de Educaci√≥n, Venezuela

Asociaci√≥n Vida y Luz (Asoviluz), Venezuela

Aula Abierta, Venezuela

Centro de Colaboraci√≥n C√≠vica, M√©xico

Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Metropolitana, Venezuela

Centro de la Formaci√≥n para la Democracia, Venezuela

Centro para la Paz y los DDHH UCV, Venezuela

Civilis Derechos Humanos, Venezuela

Convite A.C., Venezuela

Comisi√≥n de Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Ciencias Jur√≠dicas y Pol√≠ticas de la Universidad del Zulia, Venezuela

Comisi√≥n de Derechos Humano de la Federaci√≥n de colegios de Abogados de Venezuela del Estado T√°chira

Comit√© para la Democratizaci√≥n y Acceso a la Tierra-Paz y Trabajo (CADETA-Paz y Trabajo), Venezuela

Fraternidad Laical Dominicana de Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Fundaci√≥n Agua Clara, Venezuela

Fundaci√≥n Esquel, Ecuador

Humano Derecho Radio Estaci√≥n, Venezuela

IPYS Venezuela

Movimiento Ciudadano Dale Letra, Venezuela

Epikeia Observatorio Universitario de Derechos Humanos, Venezuela

Espacio P√∫blico, Venezuela

Excubitus Derechos Humanos en Educaci√≥n, Venezuela

Federaci√≥n de Sociedades de Padres y Represententes (Fenasopadres), Venezuela

Instituto Venezolano de Estudios Sociales y Pol√≠ticos (INVESP)

Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de los Andes, Venezuela

Organizaci√≥n CIIDER, Venezuela y Colombia

Padres Organizados de Venezuela

PartnersGlobal

Partners Colombia

Programa Venezolano de Educaci√≥n-Acci√≥n en Derechos Humanos (Provea)

Promoci√≥n Educaci√≥n y Defensa en DDHH (PROMEDEHUM), Venezuela

Red 20/20, Venezuela

Red Andina de DDHH (RADAR), Venezuela

Redes Ayuda, Venezuela

SINERGIA, Red de 53 Organizaciones de la sociedad civil en Venezuela

Sociedad Hominis Iura (SOHI), Venezuela

Socios Per√∫