Rights Commission Grants Protection to Two Nicaraguans Facing Grave Danger

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has issued precautionary measures for two Nicaraguan citizens, Santos Ariel Rodríguez Lagos and Isaías Castro Ruiz, determining they face a grave and urgent risk to their lives and personal integrity while detained in Nicaragua. The decision follows a request by the human rights NGO Colectivo de Derechos Humanos para la Memoria Histórica de Nicaragua.

Rodríguez Lagos was detained by state authorities on June 2, 2024. Since his arrest, his family and associates have received no official information regarding his location or detention conditions, despite their efforts to ascertain his status. This lack of transparency raises serious concerns about his well-being.

In Castro Ruiz's case, detained since December 3, 2021, reports indicate he is held in a punishment cell at the National Penitentiary System in Juigalpa. He allegedly faces isolation, lack of medical attention, aggression, intimidation, and restrictions on family contact. These conditions suggest a severe deterioration of his human rights.

The IACHR noted that the Nicaraguan state failed to respond to information requests during the precautionary measures procedure. Consequently, the Commission urged Nicaragua to implement measures to safeguard the lives and physical integrity of both individuals, clarify their detention circumstances, ensure regular contact with families and legal representatives, and investigate the alleged abuses. For Castro Ruiz, specific attention was requested for his health and to ensure his detention conditions meet international standards.

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in a situation of gravity and urgency toda vez que sus derechos a la vida e integridad personal enfrentan un riesgo de daño irreparable en Nicaragua