human rights defender

Kevin Roberto Solís - alias «Murdock»

Urgent support needed

(AI translated) Access to International Justice

Organization affiliation

  • Alianza Universitaria Nicaragüense (AUN)

HRD's year of birth

2000

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Social and community leader

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) University student of law at the Redemptoris Mater Catholic University (UNICA) and in 2018, he moved to the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN-Managua) to study the second year of his degree, in addition to working as a Support Officer in the notification office of the Nejapa Judicial Complex. When the political crisis began in April 2018, the young Solís joined the social protests, led by student movements. In this sense, he publicly maintained a critical position against the Nicaraguan authorities and actively denounced the serious human rights violations that were being committed in that country since the beginning of the crisis. Kevin was one of the youth who remained in the facilities of the Managua headquarters of the Polytechnic University of Nicaragua (UPOLI) and later at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN), the latter place from where he was violently evicted [https://confidencial.digital/nacion/ortega-lanza-brutal-ataque-contra-estudiantes/]. He is a survivor of the attack on the Parish of Divine Mercy, registered on July 13, 2018 [https://confidencial.digital/nacion/ortega-lanza-brutal-ataque-contra-estudiantes/]. After the violent eviction from UNAN and due to fear of being arrested or killed, the young Solís was forced to stay in safe houses, that is, to live in clandestinity. Being detained for the first time in November 2018 and released on April 5, 2019. He then rejoined the university student movement and collaborated with the Legal Defense Unit, being kidnapped in February 2020 by people dressed in civilian clothes and taken to the Judicial Aid Directorate where he was accused and sentenced to four years in prison for a common crime that he did not commit, being transferred to La Modelo Prison, where he was again subjected to torture until he was deported to the United States on February 8, 2023.

Detained since

Jun 2, 2020

Date of release

Jun 2, 2023

Charge(s)

  • Other

Sentence

(AI translated) 5 years and 9 months of prison

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) Kevin Solis was subjected to physical and psychological torture, as well as cruel and degrading treatment, during both his first detention (2018) and second detention (2020). During his first detention, he was tortured over 20 times; his arm and foot were cut with a blade ("Gillet"), and he received blows to his genitals with a taser. He was also stripped naked and threatened with sexual abuse, in addition to being held incommunicado for approximately one month and a half. During torture sessions, he was interrogated and pressured to make a video denouncing other individuals, which he refused to do. As a result, he was constantly beaten, and the prison authorities shouted at him, "you will only leave here dead." During his second detention, he spent two years and nine months in maximum-security cells, in a cell without access to sunlight and air, subjected to physical and psychological torture, isolated, and denied access to the yard or sunlight. The food he received was of extremely poor quality and often decomposed and infested with worms. He was also denied access to medical attention despite his requests after being beaten by his guards.

Recent case update / evolution

(AI translated) Conviction details: 15 months in prison for the crime of obstructing public services and 8 months in prison for the crime of illegal possession of firearms or ammunition, in addition to paying a fine of three thousand five hundred and fifty-eight Cordobas (first charge); 4 years and 6 months in prison (second charge).

He was released from prison, exiled, and now lives in the United States. Due to the deprivation of his nationality, he acquired Spanish citizenship. Currently, a petition regarding his case has been presented to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). He faces health problems (Bell's palsy) caused by exposure to highly stressful situations as a result of the torture he endured during his time in maximum-security cells in the National Penitentiary System.

Any other relevant documents

(AI translated) Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Precautionary Measure No. 205-21, Resolution 33/2021: https://www.oas.org/es/cidh/decisiones/mc/2021/res_33-21_mc_205-21_ni_es.pdf

Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Provisional Measures, Nicaragua, Case of 45 Persons Deprived of Their Liberty in 8 Detention Centers: https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/45personas_se_01.pdf

From Prisoner to Prisoner: Kevin Solís https://www.facebook.com/MiguelMendoza1970/videos/de-preso-a-preso-kevin-sol%C3%ADs/1013616566508411/

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