Patrick Leahy: “it has now been more than 4 months since Daniel Ortega's police arrested and subsequently disappeared political…”

“it has now been more than 4 months since Daniel Ortega's police arrested and subsequently disappeared political opposition leaders Felix Maradiaga and Juan Sebastian Chamorro in Nicaragua. On June 8, police stopped Maradiaga's vehicle, forcibly removed him, and took him away. Later that day, over 40 police officers forced their way into Chamorro's home and arrested him as well. For nearly 3 months, they were held in undisclosed locations, without access to their lawyers, doctors, or families and without being charged with any crime. They were reportedly kept in solitary confinement, subjected to frequent interrogations, deprived of sleep, and they have each lost 20 to 25 pounds. In August, they were indicted for operating an international conspiracy to funnel foreign resources ``to provide logistical support and create favorable conditions to harm the supreme interests of the nation.'' These charges, which are blatantly political, were brought before an unnamed judge in a secret hearing in which their lawyers were not permitted to be present. This is what is called ``justice'' in Nicaragua today. Nothing more than a sham process intended to silence Daniel Ortega's political opposition, and it is yet another example of the flagrant repression and abuses of human rights that have become a trademark of his government.…”