MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

OAS condemns arrest of relatives of political prisoners in Nicaragua

The siege and harassment of the families of political prisoners at the church of San Miguel de Masaya is a blatant violation of peoples' right to express themselves

The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) has expressed its concern and condemns the latest acts of repression and detention of protesters reported in Nicaragua.

The siege and harassment of the families of political prisoners in the church of San Miguel de Masaya is a blatant violation of the rights of people who are expressing themselves peacefully for the freedom of their relatives.

In the same way, the OAS General Secretariat rejects the detention of at least 13 people who were showing their support for the relatives of prisoners and calls for their immediate release. The arrest is even more deplorable as these people were under the protection of the Catholic Church, an entity recognized by all political actors in Nicaragua.

The OAS General Secretariat continues monitoring closely the situation in Nicaragua and reiterates the need for the restoration of civil and political freedoms, peace, justice and the return of democratic institutions in the country. Events such as those that have occurred represent a setback in recent advances in Nicaragua, and reaffirm the need to reestablish a framework for dialogue between the different sectors of society in order to avoid the progressive deterioration of the climate of social coexistence and democratic norms.