For the attention of the Judges of Managua Appeal Court
Purpose: Application to the Court to accept and assess impartially the Recurso de Amparo lodged by the CENIDH
Paris, 14 January 2019
Your Honours,
It is a pleasure to greet you. We are writing to you from the FIDH – the International Federation for Human Rights – and from the OMCT – the World Organisation Against Torture.
Last Friday, the Nicaraguan Human Rights Centre (CENIDH), an organisation that is a member of both organisations, lodged a recurso de amparo against the arbitrary cancellation of its legal standing. On 12 December 2018, the National Assembly, at the request of the Ministry of Governance, cancelled the legal standing of the CENIDH on that same day. The Recitals state that this organisation gave up its legal standing by not acting in adherence to the purposes and objectives for which that legal standing was granted to it, “such as achieving peace with justice in Nicaragua”. This decision is an arbitrary restriction on the right to freedom of association, in breach of Nicaragua’s international obligations.
We are deeply concerned that organisations for the defence of human rights, life and the fundamental freedoms, and of recognised prestige and independence, such as the CENIDH, can be exposed to this type of situation and ill-treatment and we would ask you to accept the appeal and to assess it solely according to law. In view of the complicated situation of the last few months, we may legitimately ask ourselves whether justice can still be independent in Nicaragua. We hope that your decision will show us that it is.
Yours faithfully,
FIDH
OMCT