IACHR

Press Release

IACHR Stresses Request for Nicaragua to Authorize a Visit

May 11, 2018

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Santo Domingo - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) requested, for the third time this month, the State of Nicaragua’s authorization to conduct a visit to that country and observe the human rights situation on site.

The Nicaraguan State responded to the first request for a visit—formulated in the wake of violent events in a context of protest repression—in a letter sent on May 1, 2018, asking the IACHR to await progress in internal proceedings. The IACHR repeated its request for authorization, as stated in press release 94/18. Now, the State of Nicaragua responded with a request for the provision of technical assistance to its Commission for Truth, Justice and Peace.

The IACHR responded to the State of Nicaragua reiterating the request of authorization for a visit. The Country Rapporteur, Commissioner Antonia Urrejola Noguera, indicated the need to understand the scope of the request made by members of the Commission for Truth, Justice and Peace. Given civil society’s doubts about the independence and autonomy of the Commission for Truth, Justice and Peace, it is believed to be of the utmost importance to conduct a prior working visit to the country.

“It is essential for us to be able to hold meetings with authorities, but also with various sectors of civil society. That would allow us to carry out an assessment and a serious diagnosis, to be able to establish whether it would be appropriate to provide technical advice,” said Commissioner Urrejola Noguera.

In that respect, the IACHR sent a letter to the State of Nicaragua, to request for the third time its authorization to conduct a working visit.

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. 105/18