Press Release

Contact:
Lisa Haugaard, Executive Director
(202) 546 7010 | lisah@lawg.org

July 18, 2018

LAWG Joins U.S. Civil Society Groups in Condemning the Repression of Protests and Violence in Nicaragua

Washington, D.C.—Today, the Latin America Working Group (LAWG), together with several other U.S. civil society organizations, released a joint statement condemning the repression of protests and violence in Nicaragua.

“We urge the Nicaragua government to respect the right of all Nicaraguans to freedom of expression, including the right to protest, and urge all sides to advance in a dialogue to find a sustainable path out of this crisis, which will improve respect for human rights and accountable governance,” says Lisa Haugaard, executive director at LAWG.

The letter laments the the killing of two students taking refuge in a church on July 15, 2018, calling it “the latest of many brutal acts” and highlights that “over 300 people have been killed over the last three months.” The signatories express solidarity with Nicaraguan civil society, and call on the Central American government to “immediately stop its security forces from responding with excessive force against protesters and take action to dismantle armed parapolice groups.”

Read the full statement: English | Spanish

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