IACHR Expands Precautionary Measures in Favor of Journalist Katya Milady Reyes Ortiz in Nicaragua

November 17, 2022

Washington, D.C. — On November 15, 2022, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 64/2022 (link in Spanish), granting precautionary measures in favor of the journalist Katya Milady Reyes Ortiz in Nicaragua, whom it deems to be at serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to her human rights.

The IACHR deemed that Reyes, who has been part of the Radio Daría team since 2016, has been the target of threats and harassment in the context of repression of independent journalism in Nicaragua. It also observed that her predicament is related to factors that the IACHR took into consideration when it granted precautionary measures in favor of other members of the Radio Darío team, and allegations made while these were in force. The IACHR also observed that although five years have gone by since it granted precautionary measures to the other members of Radio Darío, the State has not yet adopted these. Under the terms of Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR requested information from the State of Nicaragua but has not received a response.

After analyzing the information presented in the petition put forward by Katya Reyes' representatives, the IACHR deemed that the requisites of article 25 of its Rules of Procedure had been met. As a consequence, it requested that the State of Nicaragua:

1. adopt the necessary measures to protect the rights to life and personal integrity of Katya Milady Reyes Ortiz. In particular, the State must guarantee that its agents respect the beneficiary's rights in accordance with the standards set out in international human rights law and third-party risks;
2. take the necessary measures to enable Katya Milady Reyes Ortiz to go about her work as a journalist without being subjected to acts of intimidation, threats, or other acts of violence in the course of doing so;
3. agree on any measures to be adopted with the beneficiary and her representatives; and
4. report on the actions it has taken to investigate into the alleged events that led to the adoption of this precautionary measure.

The IACHR's expansion of this precautionary measure and its adoption by the State does not entail a prejudgment on any petition that may eventually be filed before the inter-American system to allege that the rights protected by any applicable instruments have been violated.

Details on Resolution 64/2022 are available here.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 258/22

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