Nicaragua:
Protect Rights Advocates
from Harassment and
Intimidation
Washington, D.C. -
infoZine - The
Nicaraguan government
should take steps to
ensure that human rights
defenders are free to
promote and protect
women's rights without
harassment or
intimidation, Human
Rights Watch said today.
Since beginning a
campaign against a newly
enacted absolute ban on
abortion in 2006,
women's rights advocates
have been subject to
official investigations
into their work, and
some have reported
suffering acts of
intimidation from
unknown sources.
In the past year, nine
women's rights advocates
have been the subject of
a criminal investigation
into whether, among
other things, they
conspired to cover up
the crime of rape in the
case of a 9-year-old
rape victim known as
"Rosita," who obtained
an abortion in Nicaragua
in 2003.
"While authorities
should seek to get to
the bottom of any case
of child abuse, it is
crucial that criminal
investigations not be
misused as retaliation
for legitimate efforts
to promote fundamental
rights," said José
Miguel Vivanco, Americas
director at Human Rights
Watch.
Since 2006, Nicaraguan
law has barred even
therapeutic abortions,
which are undertaken
when the health of the
mother is at risk.
Blanket abortion bans
like Nicaragua's are
incompatible with
international human
rights law, including
the protections it
provides for the rights
to life, health, and
nondiscrimination.
Investigations have been
also been undertaken
into the financing of
the organizations of
some of the same women's
rights advocates
subjected to the
criminal inquiry in the
"Rosita" case. In early
October 2008, Nicaraguan
authorities raided the
offices of the
Communications Research
Center (CINCO) and the
Autonomous Women's
Movement (MAM),
confiscating files and
computers containing
financial records. The
search warrant did not
specifically state what
suspected violations
underpin the
investigation and
contained only a
reference to allegations
concerning "irregular
and unusual operations
with funds coming from
foreign sources." In
September, El 19, a
state print media outlet
highlighted on the
presidential homepage,
claimed that there had
been improper financial
collaboration between
CINCO and MAM because
the latter group is not
a registered
nongovernmental
organization (NGO). The
newspaper also accused
the groups of violating
the law through the
"promotion of abortion,"
adding that CINCO was
not authorized to work
on themes of
"reproductive health and
sexual orientation" (temas
de Salud Reproductiva o
de Opciones Sexuales).
Carlos Fernando
Chamorro, director of
CINCO, confirmed that
his organization had
cooperated with MAM, but
denied wrongdoing,
noting that CINCO is
dedicated to issues of
"culture, communication,
and democratization" and
has carried out
partnerships with a
variety of groups over
its 13 years in
operation.
Public statements by
Nicaraguan authorities
raise doubts as to the
motives behind the
investigations. In
October, Armando Juárez,
chief inspector of the
Public Prosecutor's
Office, suggested that
promoting abortion
rights could be
construed as a crime,
according to El Pueblo
Presidente!, another
state news site
highlighted on the
presidential homepage.
Also this month, an
article in El 19
concerning the CINCO and
MAM investigations
described the "promotion
of abortion" as "a flag
raised by Nicaraguan
pseudo-feminists with
the intention of
obtaining millions in
foreign funds."
Over the past two
months, some women's
rights defenders have
reported being subjected
to acts of intimidation,
including threatening
calls and acts of
vandalism by unknown
assailants. Earlier in
October, Ana María
Pizarro, a
representative of MAM
and one of the women's
rights leaders being
investigated in the
"Rosita" case, reported
receiving an anonymous
telephone call
insinuating that her
13-year-old son would be
kidnapped. In September
in the city of León, red
and black paint - the
colors of the governing
party - was thrown on
the house of human
rights advocate Vilma
Núñez, former
vice-president of the
Nicaraguan Supreme Court
of Justice and current
president of the
Nicaraguan Center for
Human Rights.
"It is vital that the
government promptly and
thoroughly investigate
acts of intimidation and
harassment and hold
those responsible
accountable," Vivanco
said.
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