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Document 02019D1720-20241010
Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 of 14 October 2019 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua
Consolidated text: Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 of 14 October 2019 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua
Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1720 of 14 October 2019 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua
02019D1720 — EN — 10.10.2024 — 009.001
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COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2019/1720 of 14 October 2019 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua (OJ L 262 15.10.2019, p. 58) |
Amended by:
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Official Journal |
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No |
page |
date |
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L 139I |
4 |
4.5.2020 |
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L 335 |
18 |
13.10.2020 |
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L 277I |
24 |
2.8.2021 |
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L 361 |
52 |
12.10.2021 |
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L 5I |
13 |
10.1.2022 |
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L 268 |
22 |
14.10.2022 |
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L 2127 |
1 |
10.10.2023 |
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L 2686 |
1 |
28.11.2023 |
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L 2665 |
1 |
9.10.2024 |
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COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2019/1720
of 14 October 2019
concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua
Article 1
Member States shall take the measures necessary to prevent the entry into, or transit through, their territories of natural persons:
responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses or for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua;
whose actions, policies or activities otherwise undermine democracy or the rule of law in Nicaragua;
associated with those referred to in points (a) and (b);
as listed in the Annex.
Paragraph 1 shall be without prejudice to the cases where a Member State is bound by an obligation of international law, namely:
as a host country of an international intergovernmental organisation;
as a host country to an international conference convened by, or under the auspices of, the United Nations;
under a multilateral agreement conferring privileges and immunities; or
pursuant to the 1929 Treaty of Conciliation (Lateran Pact) concluded by the Holy See (Vatican City State) and Italy.
Article 2
All funds and economic resources belonging to, owned, held or controlled by, natural or legal persons, entities or bodies:
responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses or for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua;
whose actions, policies or activities otherwise undermine democracy or the rule of law in Nicaragua;
associated with the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies referred to in points (a) and (b);
as listed in the Annex, shall be frozen.
The competent authority of a Member State may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, or the making available of certain funds or economic resources, under such conditions as it deems appropriate, after having determined that the funds or economic resources concerned are:
necessary to satisfy the basic needs of the natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed in the Annex and dependent family members of such natural persons, including payments for foodstuffs, rent or mortgage, medicines and medical treatment, taxes, insurance premiums, and public utility charges;
intended exclusively for the payment of reasonable professional fees and the reimbursement of incurred expenses associated with the provision of legal services;
intended exclusively for the payment of fees or service charges for the routine holding or maintenance of frozen funds or economic resources;
necessary for extraordinary expenses, provided that the competent authority has notified the competent authorities of the other Member States and the Commission of the grounds on which it considers that a specific authorisation should be granted, at least two weeks prior to the authorisation; or
to be paid into or from an account of a diplomatic or consular mission or an international organisation enjoying immunities in accordance with international law, insofar as such payments are intended to be used for official purposes of the diplomatic or consular mission or international organisation.
The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under this paragraph.
By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the competent authorities of a Member State may authorise the release of certain frozen funds or economic resources, provided that the following conditions are met:
the funds or economic resources are the subject of an arbitral decision rendered prior to the date on which the natural or legal person, entity or body referred to in paragraph 1 was listed in the Annex, or of a judicial or administrative decision rendered in the Union, or a judicial decision enforceable in the Member State concerned, prior to or after that date;
the funds or economic resources will be used exclusively to satisfy claims secured by such a decision or recognised as valid in such a decision, within the limits set by applicable laws and regulations governing the rights of persons having such claims;
the decision is not for the benefit of a natural or legal person, entity or body listed in the Annex; and
recognition of the decision is not contrary to public policy in the Member State concerned.
The Member State concerned shall inform the other Member States and the Commission of any authorisation granted under this paragraph.
Paragraph 2 shall not apply to the addition to frozen accounts of:
interest or other earnings on those accounts;
payments due under contracts, agreements or obligations that were concluded or arose prior to the date on which those accounts became subject to the measures provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2; or
payments due under judicial, administrative or arbitral decisions rendered in the Union or enforceable in the Member State concerned;
provided that any such interest, other earnings and payments remain subject to the measures provided for in paragraph 1.
Paragraph 1 and 2 shall not apply to the making available of funds or economic resources necessary to ensure the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance or to support other activities that support basic human needs where such assistance and other activities are carried out by:
the United Nations (UN), including its programmes, funds and other entities and bodies, as well as its specialised agencies and related organisations;
international organisations;
humanitarian organisations having observer status with the UN General Assembly and members of those humanitarian organisations;
bilaterally or multilaterally funded non-governmental organisations participating in the UN Humanitarian Response Plans, UN Refugee Response Plans, other UN appeals or humanitarian clusters coordinated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs;
organisations and agencies to which the Union has granted the Humanitarian Partnership Certificate or which are certified or recognised by a Member State in accordance with national procedures;
Member States’ specialised agencies; or
the employees, grantees, subsidiaries or implementing partners of the entities referred to in points (a) to (f) while and to the extent that they are acting in those capacities.
Article 3
Article 4
Article 5
Article 6
The Council and the High Representative shall process personal data in order to carry out their tasks under this Decision, in particular:
as regards the Council, for preparing and making amendments to the Annex;
as regards the High Representative, for preparing amendments to the Annex.
Article 7
No claims in connection with any contract or transaction the performance of which has been affected, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by the measures imposed under this Decision, including claims for indemnity or any other claim of this type, such as a claim for compensation or a claim under a guarantee, in particular a claim for extension or payment of a bond, guarantee or indemnity, in particular a financial guarantee or financial indemnity, of whatever form, shall be satisfied, if they are made by:
natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed in the Annex;
any natural or legal person, entity or body acting through or on behalf of one of the persons, entities or bodies referred to in point (a).
Article 8
In order to maximise the impact of the measures set out in this Decision, the Union shall encourage third States to adopt restrictive measures similar to those provided for in this Decision.
Article 9
This Decision shall apply until ►M9 15 October 2025 ◄ and shall be kept under constant review. It shall be renewed, or amended as appropriate, if the Council deems that its objectives have not been met.
The exceptions referred to in Article 2(7) and Article 3 as regards Article 2(1) and (2) shall be reviewed at regular intervals, and at least every 12 months, or at the urgent request of any Member State, the High Representative or the Commission following a fundamental change in circumstances.
Article 10
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
ANNEX
A. Natural persons referred to in Articles 1(1) and 2(1)
|
|
Name |
Identifying information |
Reasons |
Date of listing |
|
1. |
Ramón Antonio AVELLÁN MEDAL |
Date of birth: 11 November 1954 Place of birth: Jinotepe, Nicaragua Passport number: A0008696 Issued: 17 October 2011 Expires: 17 October 2021 Gender: male |
Deputy Director-General of the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP) and former chief of the police in Masaya. Responsible for serious human rights violations and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua, including by coordinating the repression of protesters in Masaya in 2018. |
4.5.2020 |
|
2. |
Sonia CASTRO GONZÁLEZ |
Date of birth: 29 September 1967 Place of birth: Carazo, Nicaragua Passport number: A00001526 Issued: 19 November 2019 Expires: 19 November 2028 ID number: 0422909670000N Gender: female |
Special advisor to the President of Nicaragua on health issues and former Minister of Health. Responsible for serious human rights violations and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua, including by hindering access to emergency medical assistance for injured civilians involved in demonstrations and ordering hospital staff to report demonstrators who have been brought to hospital by the police. |
4.5.2020 |
|
3. |
Francisco Javier DÍAZ MADRIZ |
Date of birth: 3 August 1961 Gender: male |
General Director of the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP) since 23 August 2018 and former Deputy General Director of NNP. Responsible for serious human rights violations and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua, including by leading police forces committing violence against civilians, including excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and detentions and torture. In 2021, he carried out the investigations to set up cases against the opposition leaders arrested before the elections. |
4.5.2020 |
|
4. |
Néstor MONCADA LAU |
Date of birth: 2 March 1954 Gender: male |
Personal advisor to the President of Nicaragua on national security matters. In this capacity, he has been directly involved in and responsible for decision-making on national security matters and the establishment of repressive policies carried out by the State of Nicaragua against people taking part in demonstrations, opposition representatives and journalists in Nicaragua from April 2018 onwards. |
4.5.2020 |
|
5. |
Luís PÉREZ OLIVAS |
Date of birth: 8.1.1956 Gender: male |
Head of District Three Police Station in Managua since 2023. Former General Commissioner and Legal Assistance Main Officer (DAEJ) in the ‘El Chipote’ penitentiary centre. Responsible for serious human rights violations, including torture, use of extensive force, mistreatment of detainees and other forms of degrading treatment. |
4.5.2020 |
|
6. |
Justo PASTOR URBINA |
Date of birth: 29 January 1956 Gender: male |
Head of Police Special Operations Unit (DOEP). He has been directly involved in the implementation of repressive policies against demonstrators and the opposition in Nicaragua, particularly in Managua. In this context, he is responsible for serious human rights violations and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua. |
4.5.2020 |
|
7. |
Rosario María MURILLO ZAMBRANA Alias: Rosario María MURILLO DE ORTEGA |
Position(s): Vice President of the Republic of Nicaragua (since 2017). Wife of President Daniel Ortega Date of birth: 22 June 1951 Place of birth: Managua, Nicaragua Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan Passport number: A00000106 (Nicaragua) |
Vice President of Nicaragua, First Lady of Nicaragua and a leader of the Sandinista Youth. According to President Daniel Ortega, who presents her as the de facto ‘co-President’ of the country, Rosario María Murillo Zambrana shares half of power with him. She played an instrumental role in encouraging and justifying the repression of opposition demonstrations by the Nicaraguan National Police in 2018. In June 2021, she publicly threatened the Nicaraguan opposition and discredited independent journalists. Those threats have been repeated since then. In February 2023, Daniel Ortega revealed that Rosario María Murillo Zambrana is the instigator of new repressions, namely related to the expulsion and deprivation of citizenship of 222 political prisoners. She is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations, for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and for undermining democracy in Nicaragua. |
2.8.2021 |
|
8. |
Gustavo Eduardo PORRAS CORTÉS |
Position(s): President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Nicaragua (since January 2017) Date of birth: 11 October 1954 Place of birth: Managua, Nicaragua Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan |
President of the National Assembly of Nicaragua since January 2017 and member of the national direction of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) since 1996. In his position as the President of the National Assembly of Nicaragua, he is responsible for promoting the adoption of several repressive legal acts, among them an amnesty law that precludes any investigation into the perpetrators of massive human rights violations in 2018, laws undermining freedom and democratic process in Nicaragua, and laws depriving the civil rights of civilians, including the Bishop of Matagalpa, Rolando José Álvarez Lagos. He is therefore responsible for the repression of civil society, democratic opposition, representatives of the Church, as well as for seriously undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua. |
2.8.2021 |
|
9. |
Juan Antonio VALLE VALLE |
Position(s): Leader in Nicaraguan National Police Rank: General/Senior Commissioner Date of birth: 4 May 1963 Place of birth: Matagalpa, Nicaragua Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan |
As leader in the rank of senior commissioner (second highest rank) of the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP) and in a leading position in the police in Managua, Juan Antonio Valle Valle is responsible for repeated acts of police brutality and the excessive use of force which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians, for arbitrary arrests and detentions, for violations of freedom of expression and for preventing demonstrations against the government. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua. |
2.8.2021 |
|
10. |
Ana Julia GUIDO OCHOA Alias: Ana Julia GUIDO DE ROMERO |
Position(s): Attorney General of the Republic of Nicaragua Date of birth: 16 February 1959 Place of birth: Matagalpa, Nicaragua Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan |
In her position as Attorney General, the highest civil servant in the Prosecutor’s Office, Ana Julia Guido Ochoa, who is loyal to the Ortega regime, is responsible for the politically motivated prosecution of numerous protesters and members of the political opposition. She created a specialised unit that fabricated allegations against protesters and brought charges against them. She is moreover responsible for the disqualification from public office of the main opposition candidate for the general elections. She is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations, for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua. |
2.8.2021 |
|
11. |
Fidel de Jesús DOMÍNGUEZ ÁLVAREZ |
Position(s): Chief of police in Leon, General Commissioner of the National Police Date of birth: 21 March 1960 Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan |
In his position as Chief of police in Leon since 23 August 2018 and then General Commissioner of the National Police since September 2020, Fidel de Jesús Domínguez Alvarez is responsible for numerous serious violations of human rights, in particular arbitrary arrests and detention including the kidnapping of members of a political opponent’s family, death threats, the excessive use of force and violations of freedom of expression and freedom of the media. He is considered as one of the main figures of repression against the democratic opposition in the region of Leon. He is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations and the repression of civil society and democratic opposition. |
2.8.2021 |
|
12. |
Alba Luz RAMOS VANEGAS |
Date of birth: 3.6.1949 Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan Passport number: A0009864 (Nicaragua) |
Former President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Nicaragua. Responsible for instrumentalisation of the judiciary in favour of the interests of the Ortega regime, through the selective criminalisation of opposition activities, perpetuating the pattern of violations of rights of due process, arbitrary arrests, and the disqualification of political parties and opposition candidates. She is therefore responsible for serious human rights violations, for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and for seriously undermining the rule of law in Nicaragua |
2.8.2021 |
|
13. |
Juan Carlos ORTEGA MURILLO |
Position(s): Director at Canal 8 and Difuso Comunicaciones. Leader of the 4th of May Sandinista Movement, Son of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Nicaragua Date of birth: 17 October 1982 Nationality: Nicaraguan |
Son of president Daniel Ortega and the First Lady and Vice President Rosario Murillo. Director of one of the main propaganda TV stations, Canal 8, and the leader of the 4th of May Sandinista Movement. In his position, he has contributed to restricting freedom of expression and freedom of the media. He has publicly threatened Nicaraguan businesspersons who oppose the Ortega regime. He is therefore responsible for undermining democracy and the repression of civil society in Nicaragua. Because he is the son of Vice President Rosario Murillo, he is associated with persons responsible for serious human rights violations and the repression of civil society in Nicaragua. |
2.8.2021 |
|
14. |
Bayardo ARCE CASTAÑO |
Position(s): Economic Advisor to the President of the Republic of Nicaragua Date of birth: 21 March 1950 Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan |
In his position as Economic Advisor to President Daniel Ortega, Bayardo Arce Castano holds significant influence over the policies of the Ortega regime. He is therefore associated with persons responsible for serious violations of human rights in Nicaragua. He supported the development of legislation preventing opposition candidates from taking part in elections. He is therefore responsible for repression against civil society and democratic opposition in Nicaragua. |
2.8.2021 |
|
15. |
Camila Antonia ORTEGA MURILLO |
Position: Daughter of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, Advisor to the Presidency, Coordinator of the Creative Economy Commission, Director of TV station Canal 13 Date of birth: 4.11.1987 Place of birth: Managua, Nicaragua Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan Passport number: A00000114 (Nicaragua) ID number: 0010411870001B |
Camila Antonia Ortega Murillo is closely involved in actions supporting the presidential couple Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, as an advisor to the Presidency, personal assistant to the Vice-President and Coordinator of the Creative Economy National Commission. She is also the Director of the platform Nicaragua Diseña and TV station Canal 13. She is responsible for using Nicaragua Diseña to support the fraudulent presidential and parliamentary elections, which took place on 7 November 2021, by creating fake accounts on different social media platforms. As the Director of Canal 13, she has contributed to disseminating the Ortega regime’s hate speech against the civic opposition, while restricting editorial plurality and persecuting independent journalists and media outlets in Nicaragua, eliminating freedom of expression and actual electoral competition. She has played a central role in the suppression of political pluralism and the definitive disarticulation of Nicaraguan democracy. She is therefore associated with persons responsible for undermining democracy and for serious human rights violations and she is supporting such repression and violations. |
10.1.2022 |
|
16. |
Laureano Facundo ORTEGA MURILLO |
Son of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, Advisor to the Presidency Date of birth: 20.11.1982 Place of birth: Managua, Nicaragua Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan Passport number: A00000684 (Nicaragua) ID number: 0012011820046M |
Laureano Facundo Ortega Murillo is closely involved in actions supporting the presidential couple Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, as an advisor to the Presidency. He has justified and supported the arbitrary and illegal imprisonment of Nicaraguan political opposition leaders and presidential pre-candidates, student and rural leaders or independent journalists, all of whom he has referred to as ‘terrorists’. By contributing to the elimination of actual electoral competition, he has played a central role in the suppression of political pluralism and the definitive disarticulation of Nicaraguan democracy. He has acted as an economic advisor to his father Daniel Ortega and the Ortega regime through the governmental agency ProNicaragua. Additionally, he is responsible for operating BanCorp – an entity whose main purpose is to assist, sponsor and financially support the repressive activities of his mother, Vice-President Rosario Murillo. He is therefore associated with persons responsible for the repression of civil society and for serious human rights violations, and he is supporting such repression and violations. |
10.1.2022 |
|
17. |
Brenda Isabel ROCHA CHACÓN |
Position(s): President of the Supreme Electoral Council Date of birth: 10.2.1967 Place of birth: Bonanza, Nicaragua Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan |
Brenda Isabel Rocha Chacón has been since May 2021 President of the Supreme Electoral Council (SEC) – a body responsible for the preparation, holding and certification of the general elections of 7 November 2021 and local elections of 6 November 2022, which, by their lack of transparency, true opposition and democratic debate, undermined democratic institutions and processes. The SEC deprived the opposition of the opportunity to stand for free elections and ensured the organisation of polls in non-democratic conditions. She is therefore responsible for the repression of democratic opposition and for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua. |
10.1.2022 |
|
18. |
Cairo Melvin AMADOR ARRIETA |
Position(s): Vice-President of the Supreme Electoral Council Date of birth: 1952 Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan |
Cairo Melvin Amador Arrieta has been since May 2021 the Vice-President of the Supreme Electoral Council (SEC) – a body responsible for the preparation, holding and certification of the general elections of 7 November 2021 and local elections of 6 November 2022, which, by their lack of transparency, true opposition and democratic debate, undermined democratic institutions and processes. The SEC deprived the opposition of the opportunity to stand for free elections and ensured the organisation of polls in non-democratic conditions. He is therefore responsible for the repression of democratic opposition and for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua. |
10.1.2022 |
|
19. |
Lumberto Ignacio CAMPBELL HOOKER |
Position(s): Member of the Supreme Electoral Council, acting President of the Supreme Electoral Council in 2018 Date of birth: 3.12.1949 Place of birth: Raas, Nicaragua Gender: male Nationality: Nicaraguan Passport number: A00001109 (Nicaragua) ID number: 6010302490003J |
Lumberto Ignacio Campbell Hooker has been since 2014 a member of the Supreme Electoral Council (SEC) – a body responsible for the preparation, holding and certification of the general elections of 7 November 2021 and local elections of 6 November 2022, which, by their lack of transparency, true opposition and democratic debate, undermined democratic institutions and processes. The SEC deprived the opposition of the opportunity to stand for free elections and ensured the organisation of polls in non-democratic conditions. His mandate as member of the SEC was renewed by the General Assembly in May 2021. He spoke to the media during the general elections of 7 November 2021 and local elections of 6 November 2022, justifying and praising their organisation. He is therefore responsible for the repression of democratic opposition and for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua. |
10.1.2022 |
|
20. |
Nahima Janett DÍAZ FLORES |
Director of the Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Postal Services, daughter of the General Director of the Nicaraguan National Police Francisco Javier Díaz Madriz Date of birth: 28.6.1989 Gender: female Nationality: Nicaraguan |
Nahima Janett Díaz Flores is the Director of the Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Postal Services (TELCOR), the regulatory entity for telecommunications and postal services. TELCOR has been used by the Nicaraguan authorities to silence independent media, including three news organisations since 2018. During the 2021 general elections campaign, TELCOR was implementing disinformation campaigns on a large scale. As the institution in charge of the implementation of the ‘cybersecurity law’, TELCOR has been commanding and operating surveillance actions regarding civil society and democratic opposition. In her position, Nahima Díaz Flores has acted as a supporter of the Ortega regime, and has commanded and operated actions of disinformation and surveillance through TELCOR of civil society and democratic opposition. She is therefore responsible for serious violations of human rights, repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and undermining democracy in Nicaragua. |
10.1.2022 |
|
21. |
Luis Ángel MONTENEGRO ESPINOZA |
Superintendent of the Superintendency of Banks and other Financial Institutions of Nicaragua Date of birth: 1.1.1949 Place of birth: Esteli, Nicaragua Gender: male Address: Planes De Puntaldia Casa #16, Managua, Nicaragua Nationality: Nicaraguan ID number: 1610101490000S |
Luis Ángel Montenegro Espinoza is the Superintendent of the Superintendency of Banks and other Financial Institutions of Nicaragua (SIBOIF). In that position he is responsible for the persecution of financial actors that resisted the Ortega regime’s policies, as well as for enforcing the regime’s control over the financial sector. He was appointed to that position directly by Daniel Ortega, as a reward for his loyalty. In his previous role as Controller General of the Republic he ensured that Ortega’s corrupt financial activities would not be audited and equally contributed to Ortega’s control of the regime. He is therefore responsible for undermining the rule of law in Nicaragua as well as for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition. |
10.1.2022 |
B. Legal persons, entities and bodies referred to in Article 2(1)
|
|
Name |
Identifying information |
Reasons |
Date of listing |
|
1. |
National Police of Nicaragua La Policía Nacional Nicaragüense |
Headquarters: Managua, Nicaragua Date of establishment: 22.8.1979 Website: http://www.policia.gob.ni/ |
The National Police of Nicaragua is responsible for the degrading treatment, including physical and psychological torture, of those who opposed the Ortega regime. It is responsible for the unlawful imprisonment of presidential pre-candidates, civil society leaders, student and rural leaders or independent journalists without any legal and democratic guarantees. The National Police was instrumental in Daniel Ortega avoiding facing any real democratic opposition during the general elections of 7 November 2021. Prior to those elections, the National Police conducted continuous surveillance and persecution of opposition leaders, unlawful residential break-ins and arbitrary arrests of opposition members, and it systematically threatened public employees. In 2018, the National Police was involved in killings of peaceful protesters across Nicaragua. The National Police of Nicaragua is therefore responsible for serious violations of human rights, repression of civil society and democratic opposition, and undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua. |
10.1.2022 |
|
2. |
Supreme Electoral Council Consejo Supremo Electoral |
Address: Pista Juan Pablo II, Managua 14005, Nicaragua Website: https://www.cse.gob.ni/ Email: info@cse.gob.ni |
The Supreme Electoral Council (SEC) is the body responsible for the preparation, holding and certification of the general elections of 7 November 2021, which by their lack of transparency, true opposition and democratic debate, undermined democratic institutions and processes. The SEC deprived the opposition of the opportunity to stand for free elections and ensured the organisation of polls in non-democratic conditions. On 3 October 2023, the SEC cancelled the legal status of Yatama, the main indigenous political party in Nicaragua, hindering its participation in the March 2024 elections in two autonomous regions of the country (Costa Caribe and Costa Caribe Norte). The SEC is therefore responsible for the repression of democratic opposition and for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Nicaragua. |
10.1.2022 |
|
3. |
Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Postal Services |
Address: Avenida Bolívar, Esquina diagonal al edifico de la Cancillería, Aptdo 2664, Managua 10000, Nicaragua Date of registration: 12.6.1982 Website: https://www.telcor.gob.ni |
The Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Postal Services (TELCOR) is the regulatory entity for telecommunications and postal services. It has been used by the Nicaraguan authorities to silence independent media, including three news organisations since 2018, during the repression of 2018 and after the general elections of 2021. During the general elections campaign, TELCOR was implementing a disinformation campaign on a large scale. As the institution in charge of the implementation of the ‘cybersecurity law’, TELCOR has been commanding and operating surveillance actions regarding civil society and democratic opposition. In addition, TELCOR continues its campaign of tight media control by shutting down radio stations close to the democratic opposition. TELCOR is therefore responsible for serious violations of human rights, and the repression of civil society and democratic opposition. |
10.1.2022 |
( 1 ) Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39).