A Nicaraguan judge on Thursday found four priests, two seminarians and a reporter guilty of «conspiracy» against the Nicaraguan state.
The magistrate of the second criminal district of trials Nadia Tardencilla has convicted the seven investigated from the Diocese of Matagalpa for the crimes of undermining and propagation of false news, after a four-day trial behind closed doors, the newspaper ‘La Prensa’ has reported.
The priests are Ramiro Tijerino Chávez, rector of the Juan Pablo II University; José Luis Díaz Cruz, vicar of the Cathedral of Matagalpa; his predecessor, Sadiel Antonio Eugarrios Cano and Raúl Antonio Vega, clergyman. The seminarians blamed are Darvin Leiva Mendoza and Melkin Centeno; while the cameraman is identified as Sergio Cadena Flores.
The Nicaraguan Legal Defense Unit has informed that the prosecutor Manuel Rugama has asked for ten years in prison and 800 days of fine for the seven prisoners.
Both the clergymen and the journalist have been detained since August 19, 2020 at the Judicial Assistance Directorate, known as ‘el Chipote’.
The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) has regretted the decision and has blamed the Government of Daniel Ortega for the sentence, since they consider that it has been dictated «with the aim of sowing terror and demonstrating who has the power».
«This fact poses a challenge to the leaders of the Catholic Church, we ask them to react, they can no longer remain silent, practically the regime has imprisoned an entire Diocese», reads a CENIDH statement.
It also demanded that the Nicaraguan president release «all priests imprisoned for their conscience in Nicaragua».
The Ortega government accuses the Catholic Church of fomenting the citizen mobilization that erupted in 2018 and in recent weeks has hardened the persecution on religious organizations and leaders. UN Secretary General António Guterres also expressed «concern» about the repression.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
