CPJ, periodistas internacionales expresan profunda preocupación por el deterioro del clima de la libertad de prensa en Nicaragua, y piden la liberación de dos periodistas detenidos

Daniel Ortega Saavedra, Presidente de la República de Nicaragua
Rosario Murillo Zambrana, Vicepresidenta de la República de Nicaragua
Presidencia de la República
Frente a Palacio Nacional
4 Calle Noroeste
Managua, Nicaragua 11001

7 de Enero 2019

Via correo a: presidencia@presidencia.gob.ni

Al presidente Daniel Ortega y a la vicepresidenta Rosario Murillo:

Somos un grupo de periodistas y defensores de la libertad de prensa en América Latina y el resto del mundo que vemos con profunda preocupación los acontecimientos de las últimas semanas en su país. Les escribimos para expresar nuestra alarma sobre el reciente agravamiento de la agresión contra los medios de comunicación y periodistas que cubren las protestas civiles y documentan las violaciones de derechos humanos cometidos por la policía y grupos paramilitares.

Condenamos enérgicamente los allanamientos en diciembre a las oficinas de dos importantes medios noticieros independientes, y la detención de los periodistas del canal noticioso 100% Noticias Miguel Mora y Lucía Pineda Ubau, acusados de múltiples cargos contra el estado. Estas últimas acciones contra la prensa ocurrieron poco antes de las vacaciones navideñas, cuando muchas personas en la comunidad internacional suelen estar distraídas; sin embargo, no pasaron desapercibidas.

Mora y Pineda, detenidos durante una incursión policial el 21 de diciembre a las oficinas de 100% Noticias en Managua y llevados ante los tribunales sin acceso a representación legal, están acusados ​​de delitos como “fomentar e incitar al odio y la violencia” y “promover el terrorismo”. El gobierno no ha presentado ninguna evidencia hasta la fecha para respaldar los cargos contra estos periodistas, quienes tuvieron un papel principal en los informes críticos de su canal en los últimos ocho meses. Más de dos semanas después de su detención, ambos periodistas permanecen en prisión preventiva, y su canal aún tiene prohibido emitir.

Apenas una semana antes del ataque a 100% Noticias, la policía antimotines allanó las oficinas en Managua del sitio web independiente de noticias Confidencial y de dos programas de televisión relacionadas, todos liderados por el reconocido periodista Carlos Fernando Chamorro, y confiscaron equipos y documentos.

Estos son solo los actos hostiles más recientes que rematan un año en el que se registraron decenas de asaltos a los medios de comunicación, incluido el ataque incendiario a Radio Darío en León el 20 de abril, y la muerte el 21 de abril del reportero Ángel Eduardo Gahona, asesinado a tiros frente a la cámara mientras informaba sobre las protestas en Bluefields.

La reciente expulsión de dos organismos de monitoreo independientes establecidos por la Organización de los Estados Americanos (OEA), el día anterior de la publicación de un informe sobre las violaciones a los derechos humanos cometidas durante las protestas de la primavera pasada, es otro ejemplo perturbador de la indiferencia de su gobierno a la transparencia y las normas internacionales de los derechos humanos.

Exigimos la liberación inmediata de Miguel Mora y Lucía Pineda Ubau, y el fin de las acciones dirigidas a intimidar y cerrar los medios independientes. La Presidencia, que ejerce el control sobre casi todos los aspectos del gobierno, debe ordenar a la policía que deje de allanar salas de redacción, devolver todo los equipos y los documentos incautados, y permitir que los medios puedan informar sin temor a represalias violentas, intervención o detención.

Les pedimos que respeten las garantías internacionales de la libertad de expresión y que dejen de acosar a la prensa independiente. Una prensa libre e independiente es fundamental para el funcionamiento de una sociedad democrática saludable, en Nicaragua y por toda la región de las Américas.

Sinceramente,

Abbas Milani — Director of Iranian Studies, Stanford University, USA
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