human rights defender

Gustavo Adolfo Mendoza Beteta

Actions and Campaigns

HRD's year of birth

1984

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Social and community leader
  • Whistle blower

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Civil and political rights

HRD's geographical origin

Urban

Current Status

Released

HRD's bio and work

(AI translated) Gustavo Adolfo Mendoza Beteta joined the protests in April 2018 to defend the rights of his relatives affected by the reforms to the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute (INSS) proposed by Daniel Ortega's regime.

Detained since

Jul 29, 2020

Date of release

Feb 9, 2023

Charge(s)

  • Other

Sentence

(AI translated) 10 years imprisonment and a fine of 500 days corresponding to C$31,195

Latitude: 12.183752347983708

Longitude: -86.08590737952117

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean

Location of detention - City/Town

Tipitapa

Location of detention - Facility

Sistema Penitenciario Jorge Navarro, conocido como Carcel La Modelo

Allegations / reports of ill-treatment

(AI translated) On 11 May 2018, he was arrested and beaten by police officers, taken to the Managua District II Police Unit, where the assault continued until his collarbone was fractured.

On 7 June 2019, he was convicted in a trial riddled with irregularities for alleged aggravated robbery against a police officer. On 30 December 2019, he was released along with 90 other political prisoners, but was harassed at his home by police and parapolice officers and detained on at least two occasions.

On 1 February 2020, the police raided his parents' home without a warrant, arresting him for the second time. He was released two days later, but on 29 July 2020, he was arrested again, first accused of disturbing public order and then, according to police officers, of drug possession, for which he was tried and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

He was held in a small cell with 20 other people, without minimum hygiene conditions, without ventilation, sleeping on the floor and receiving raw food. He was also the victim of assaults and threats by prison officers and other state authorities.

Recent case update / evolution

(AI translated) Exiled and stripped of his nationality and property.

On 24/11/2022, the defence requested that the authorities at La Modelo Prison refer the defendant for a medical assessment by the IML due to health problems.

On 7 February 2023, the defence was sent a court notification declaring him a traitor to the country and stripping him of his civil rights.

Any other relevant documents

(AI translated) Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Precautionary Measures No. MC 96-21https://www.oas.org/es/cidh/decisiones/mc/2021/res_37-21_mc_96-21_ni_es.pdf

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