human rights defender

Nelly Griselda López García

Actions and Campaigns

Urgent support needed

(AI Translated) Medical and psychological care to treat her physical and psychological ailments. She requires support to expedite her immigration procedures, as she has made inquiries with the Embassy of Canada and Spain and has not yet received a resolution, and the Guatemalan government has not issued her residence ID, which prevents her from finding work, leaving both she and her husband in a difficult economic situation to survive in that country. She also cannot initiate family reunification procedures.

Organization affiliation

  • Asociación Madres de Abril (AMA)

HRD's year of birth

1981

HRD's Gender

Woman

Type of HRD

  • Social and community leader

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Civil and political rights

HRD's geographical origin

Urban

HRD's bio and work

(AI Translated) Human rights defender woman, 41 years old, originally from Monimbó, Masaya, where she actively participated in the 2018 social protests. Member of the Association Mothers of April, which organized itself from its founding to demand and seek justice for the young people killed during the 2018 repression, especially for her nephew Eric, who was murdered during the cleanup operation in Masaya. In 2022 she stopped participating in AMA activities due to the threats, persecution, and harassment she and her family received. She is a seamstress and mother of two girls. She traveled daily to the Oriental Market in Managua to work as a sales assistant in a clothing store. On April 15, 2023, three police patrols arrived at her home and took her together with her husband. Her family did not know her whereabouts for five days. She is the aunt of Erick Antonio Jiménez, murdered during the cleanup operation on July 17, 2018 in Monimbó, for whom she demanded justice.

Current Status

Released

Detained since

Apr 16, 2023

Date of release

Jun 9, 2024

Charge(s)

  • Spreading fake news
  • Subversion

Sentence

(AI Translated) 6 years imprisonment

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Americas: Latin America and the Caribbean

Location of detention - City/Town

(AI Translated) Tipitapa

Location of detention - Facility

(AI Translated) Comprehensive Women's Penitentiary Establishment (EPIM), better known as “La Esperanza”

Allegations / reports of ill-treatment

(AI Translated) She was arbitrarily detained on April 15, 2023, during a police operation by the Directorate of Special Police Operations at her home in Masaya, without a detention or search warrant, remaining in the police cells of District III of Managua until June 10, 2023, when she was transferred to the Integral Women’s Penitentiary Establishment (EPIM) known as “La Esperanza,” allowing her family to see her until June 12, 2023, when they were granted a visit. Her judicial process was held behind closed doors; she was assigned a public defender whom she never got to meet. Access to her judicial file was not allowed, nor could she appoint a lawyer of her choice, and her case was not published in the Supreme Court’s “Sistema Nicarao,” with her conviction only learned through family visits. During her incarceration in Police District III from April 15, 2023, to June 10, 2023, she was isolated, not taken to the outdoor yard, and was not allowed to see her partner who was also detained in the same facility. She was placed in a small overcrowded cell with several women. She was subjected to continuous psychological torture, being kept awake and woken up at dawn for interrogations. She was shown photos of her daughters, who continued to be pursued by undercover officers to take pictures of them, causing her distress and concern for their well‑being. After her transfer to La Esperanza, between June and early November 2023, she was allowed access to the yard and received adequate nutrition. However, in mid‑November 2023 she was moved to maximum‑security cells, denying her yard access, and on several occasions she was given spoiled food, worsening her medical conditions. She was allowed only one family visit lasting approximately 45 minutes. Regarding her health, while detained in Police District III she suffered constant facial paralysis crises (a pre‑existing condition) without receiving medical care, a situation that persisted at La Esperanza. In addition to aggravating other pre‑existing conditions such as hypertension, she reportedly developed new ailments such as tachycardia and persistent menstrual disturbances from June onward. On December 17, 2023, she suffered food poisoning that caused diarrhea and even led to a fainting episode, without receiving any medical attention. For each of these conditions, prison officials have denied her medical care. The lack of adequate medical attention prevents her health conditions from being managed. On December 20, 2024, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services informed her that her request for resettlement in the United States as a refugee had been denied, and she would not be granted a temporary residence permit through the humanitarian parole program, further deteriorating her health.

Recent case update / evolution

(AI Translated) Released from prison and deported to Guatemala on September 5, 2024, on September 10, through a press release published by the Supreme Court of Justice, the revocation of Nicaraguan nationality for the 135 political prisoners deported to Guatemala on September 5, 2024, was announced, leaving them stateless. On December 20, 2024, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services informed her that her request for resettlement in the United States as a refugee had been denied, and she would not be granted a temporary residence permit through the humanitarian parole program, so she decided to stay in Guatemala while processing applications with the governments of Canada and Spain for resettlement for both herself and her husband, who had also been detained with her. Both were released and expelled to Guatemala, making it increasingly difficult for her to remain in this country (Guatemala) because the Guatemalan government has not extended a work permit or residence card, which prevents her from working or initiating any process for family reunification. Her daughters remain in Nicaragua, under siege and surveillance.

Any other relevant documents

(AI Translated) Precautionary Measures No. 95-24, Resolution 7/2024, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights https://www.oas.org/es/cidh/decisiones/mc/2024/res_7-24%C2%A0_mc_95-24%C2%A0_ni_es.pdf

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