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 Educación, Venezuela
Asociación Vida y Luz (Asoviluz), Venezuela
Aula Abierta, Venezuela
Centro de Colaboración Cívica, México
Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Metropolitana, Venezuela
Centro de la Formación para la Democracia, Venezuela
Centro para la Paz y los DDHH UCV, Venezuela
Civilis Derechos Humanos, Venezuela
Convite A.C., Venezuela
Comisión de Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas de la Universidad del Zulia, Venezuela
Comisión de Derechos Humano de la Federación de colegios de Abogados de Venezuela del Estado Táchira
Comité para la Democratización y Acceso a la Tierra-Paz y Trabajo (CADETA-Paz y Trabajo), Venezuela
Fraternidad Laical Dominicana de Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Fundación Agua Clara, Venezuela
Fundación Esquel, Ecuador
Humano Derecho Radio Estación, Venezuela
IPYS Venezuela
Movimiento Ciudadano Dale Letra, Venezuela
Epikeia Observatorio Universitario de Derechos Humanos, Venezuela
Espacio P√∫blico, Venezuela
Excubitus Derechos Humanos en Educación, Venezuela
Federación de Sociedades de Padres y Represententes (Fenasopadres), Venezuela
Instituto Venezolano de Estudios Sociales y Políticos (INVESP)
Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de los Andes, Venezuela
Organización CIIDER, Venezuela y Colombia
Padres Organizados de Venezuela
PartnersGlobal
Partners Colombia
Programa Venezolano de Educación-Acción en Derechos Humanos (Provea)
Promoción Educación 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√∫