human rights defender
Sergio Catarino Castilblanco Hernández
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER
Urgent support needed
(AI translated) Psychosocial accompaniment, support in the migratory procedures for their exile and obtaining a new nationality, as they have been left stateless as a result of the judicial resolution of the Supreme Court of Justice, which revealed that the First Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeals, Circunscription Managua, issued a judicial resolution ordering the loss of Nicaraguan nationality to the 135 exiled people in Guatemala, in addition to humanitarian support for their subsistence. Concern for the protection of measures for his family and family reunification. He and his wife stayed in jail for a year and a half and their daughters, who were victims of bullying in their schools, remain under the custody of their relatives.
HRD's year of birth
1985
HRD's Gender
Man
Type of HRD
- Journalist/Blogger
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) Sergio Catarino Castiblanco Hernández, a teacher, journalist, broadcaster, and member of political groups, served as the program coordinator for the Children's Association "Tuktan Sirpi" in Jinotega (Feb 2018 - Feb 2023). At the age of 14, he began his career as an educator. In 2005, he started working as a promoter for children and adolescents at the Jinotega Children's Club. Two years later, he began working as a weekend announcer at Radio Estéreo Libre. Seven years after that, he became the project manager for the Children's Association "Tuktan Sirpi" in Jinotega, where he was recognized for his humanitarian work and support for the Victoria Motta Hospital in Jinotega. He is the father of three children (one son and two daughters), who are currently facing emotional distress.
Detained since
Apr 22, 2023
Date of release
May 9, 2024
Charge(s)
- Spreading fake news
- Subversion
Sentence
(AI translated) 8 years of prison
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 April 22, 2023, police officers went to Mr. Castilblanco's home and informed him that he had an arrest warrant that had never been presented to him, taking him to the Jinotega police station. Then, the police raided his home in the Linda Vista neighborhood without presenting a search warrant, seizing equipment from Mr. Castiblanco's radio station, jewelry belonging to his minor daughters, construction tools, various documents, the testament of his late mother, two tablets, two motorcycles, two computers, approximately $2,000.00 US dollars, and a Hyundai Eon vehicle. They did not leave a receipt for the seized items, and they were not returned to the family. At the time of his arrest, the police accused him of riding his motorcycle and placing stickers with government criticism before the November 2021 presidential elections. On the same day, Mr. Castilblanco's wife, Jaqueline de Jesús Rodríguez Herrera, went to the Jinotega police station to inquire about her husband; however, the officers denied her information. The police cited Mrs. Rodríguez Herrera and Mr. Castilblanco's family members to the station to provide statements, and on April 23, 2023, they were taken to the Jinotega police station, where Mrs. Rodríguez Herrera was detained for investigation. Both were transferred from the Jinotega police station to the Managua Police District III on April 23, 2024. It was not until May 19, 2023, that police officers from the Judicial Aid Directorate informed Mr. Castilblanco's and Mrs. Rodríguez's family members to look for them at the Managua Police District III. When they went to the District on May 22, a doctor from the center requested medication and allowed them to bring in packages, but they were not allowed to see their loved ones. On June 9, 2023, the police did not accept food and informed that Mr. Sergio Castiblanco was being transferred to the Tipitapa Penitentiary System "Jorge Navarro," also known as "La Modelo," and Mrs. Rodríguez to the Integral Women's Penitentiary Center (EPIM), known as "La Esperanza." The family was able to see Mr. Castiblanco on June 12, 2023, after he had been kept incommunicado for 51 days, and Mrs. Rodríguez until June 26, 2023, remaining incommunicado for 64 days. The judicial process began, and on March 6, 2024, the Second Criminal Chamber of the Managua Court of Appeals issued a resolution denying an appeal hearing. On March 22, 2024, the same Tribunal dismissed the appeals presented in favor of the couple, confiscating their movable assets and personal documents. Neither Mr. Castiblanco nor Mrs. Rodríguez were allowed communication with their lawyers, violating their right to due process and judicial guarantees, and they were subjected to torture and cruel, degrading, and inhuman treatment.
Recent case update / evolution
(AI translated) Details of the sentence: 8 years in prison and a absolute ban on holding public office for five years. In addition, they were given an accessory penalty of 500 days' fine equivalent to C$38,517.00 Nicaraguan córdobas, equivalent to $1,052.27 US dollars, and the confiscation of their assets.
Released and exiled to Guatemala on September 5, 2024, and stripped of Nicaraguan citizenship, making him stateless, with procedures under way to manage his exile, in addition to the threat of being dispossessed of all his property according to a resolution issued by the Supreme Court of Justice on September 10, 2024.
Any other relevant documents
(AI translated) Precautionary Measures No. 1022-23 and 1025-23, Resolution 89/2023, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights https://www.oas.org/en/iahc/decisions/mc/2023/res_89-23_mc_1022-23_1025-23_en.pdf
Inter-American Court of Human Rights Resolution of July 2, 2024, Extension of Provisional Measures, Juan Sebastián Chamorro and Others v. Nicaragua https://corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/chamorro_en_09.pdf
IAHC Grants Precautionary Measures to 8 Privately Deprived of Liberty in Nicaragua https://oasmailmanager.oas.org/en/IAHC/jsForm/?File=/en/iahc/press/communique/2024/008.asp
IAHC Requests IACtHR to Extend Provisional Measures for 25 Privately Deprived of Liberty in Nicaragua https://www.oas.org/en/IAHC/jsForm/?File=/en/iahc/press/communique/2024/145.asp
Testimony of freed political prisoner Sergio Castilblanco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhzY9kiws1I
Attachments
Documented by
- Country(ies) of nationality
- HRD's year of birth
- 1985
- HRD's Gender
- Man
- Type of HRD
- Journalist/Blogger
- HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- HRD's Picture
- HRD's bio and work
(AI translated) Sergio Catarino Castiblanco Hernández, a teacher, journalist, broadcaster, and member of political groups, served as the program coordinator for the Children's Association "Tuktan Sirpi" in Jinotega (Feb 2018 - Feb 2023). At the age of 14, he began his career as an educator. In 2005, he started working as a promoter for children and adolescents at the Jinotega Children's Club. Two years later, he began working as a weekend announcer at Radio Estéreo Libre. Seven years after that, he became the project manager for the Children's Association "Tuktan Sirpi" in Jinotega, where he was recognized for his humanitarian work and support for the Victoria Motta Hospital in Jinotega. He is the father of three children (one son and two daughters), who are currently facing emotional distress.
- HRD's geographical origin
- Urban
- 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
- Geolocation of detention
Latitude: 12.183752347983708
Longitude: -86.08590737952117
- Geolocation of detention
- Detained since
- Apr 22, 2023
- Current Status
- Released
- Date of release
- May 9, 2024
- Charge(s)
- Spreading fake news
- Subversion
- Sentence
(AI translated) 8 years of prison
- Recent case update / evolution
(AI translated) Details of the sentence: 8 years in prison and a absolute ban on holding public office for five years. In addition, they were given an accessory penalty of 500 days' fine equivalent to C$38,517.00 Nicaraguan córdobas, equivalent to $1,052.27 US dollars, and the confiscation of their assets.
Released and exiled to Guatemala on September 5, 2024, and stripped of Nicaraguan citizenship, making him stateless, with procedures under way to manage his exile, in addition to the threat of being dispossessed of all his property according to a resolution issued by the Supreme Court of Justice on September 10, 2024.
- Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
(AI translated) On April 22, 2023, police officers went to Mr. Castilblanco's home and informed him that he had an arrest warrant that had never been presented to him, taking him to the Jinotega police station. Then, the police raided his home in the Linda Vista neighborhood without presenting a search warrant, seizing equipment from Mr. Castiblanco's radio station, jewelry belonging to his minor daughters, construction tools, various documents, the testament of his late mother, two tablets, two motorcycles, two computers, approximately $2,000.00 US dollars, and a Hyundai Eon vehicle. They did not leave a receipt for the seized items, and they were not returned to the family. At the time of his arrest, the police accused him of riding his motorcycle and placing stickers with government criticism before the November 2021 presidential elections. On the same day, Mr. Castilblanco's wife, Jaqueline de Jesús Rodríguez Herrera, went to the Jinotega police station to inquire about her husband; however, the officers denied her information. The police cited Mrs. Rodríguez Herrera and Mr. Castilblanco's family members to the station to provide statements, and on April 23, 2023, they were taken to the Jinotega police station, where Mrs. Rodríguez Herrera was detained for investigation. Both were transferred from the Jinotega police station to the Managua Police District III on April 23, 2024. It was not until May 19, 2023, that police officers from the Judicial Aid Directorate informed Mr. Castilblanco's and Mrs. Rodríguez's family members to look for them at the Managua Police District III. When they went to the District on May 22, a doctor from the center requested medication and allowed them to bring in packages, but they were not allowed to see their loved ones. On June 9, 2023, the police did not accept food and informed that Mr. Sergio Castiblanco was being transferred to the Tipitapa Penitentiary System "Jorge Navarro," also known as "La Modelo," and Mrs. Rodríguez to the Integral Women's Penitentiary Center (EPIM), known as "La Esperanza." The family was able to see Mr. Castiblanco on June 12, 2023, after he had been kept incommunicado for 51 days, and Mrs. Rodríguez until June 26, 2023, remaining incommunicado for 64 days. The judicial process began, and on March 6, 2024, the Second Criminal Chamber of the Managua Court of Appeals issued a resolution denying an appeal hearing. On March 22, 2024, the same Tribunal dismissed the appeals presented in favor of the couple, confiscating their movable assets and personal documents. Neither Mr. Castiblanco nor Mrs. Rodríguez were allowed communication with their lawyers, violating their right to due process and judicial guarantees, and they were subjected to torture and cruel, degrading, and inhuman treatment.
- Urgent support needed
(AI translated) Psychosocial accompaniment, support in the migratory procedures for their exile and obtaining a new nationality, as they have been left stateless as a result of the judicial resolution of the Supreme Court of Justice, which revealed that the First Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeals, Circunscription Managua, issued a judicial resolution ordering the loss of Nicaraguan nationality to the 135 exiled people in Guatemala, in addition to humanitarian support for their subsistence. Concern for the protection of measures for his family and family reunification. He and his wife stayed in jail for a year and a half and their daughters, who were victims of bullying in their schools, remain under the custody of their relatives.
- Any other relevant documents
(AI translated) Precautionary Measures No. 1022-23 and 1025-23, Resolution 89/2023, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights https://www.oas.org/en/iahc/decisions/mc/2023/res_89-23_mc_1022-23_1025-23_en.pdf
Inter-American Court of Human Rights Resolution of July 2, 2024, Extension of Provisional Measures, Juan Sebastián Chamorro and Others v. Nicaragua https://corteidh.or.cr/docs/medidas/chamorro_en_09.pdf
IAHC Grants Precautionary Measures to 8 Privately Deprived of Liberty in Nicaragua https://oasmailmanager.oas.org/en/IAHC/jsForm/?File=/en/iahc/press/communique/2024/008.asp
IAHC Requests IACtHR to Extend Provisional Measures for 25 Privately Deprived of Liberty in Nicaragua https://www.oas.org/en/IAHC/jsForm/?File=/en/iahc/press/communique/2024/145.asp
Testimony of freed political prisoner Sergio Castilblanco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhzY9kiws1I
- Documented by
- Consent status
- Consent to register, store and publish the information
Supporting files
sorted by
Date added
3 relationships, 2 entities