IACHR Grants Precautionary Measures in Favor of Rodrigo José Navarrete Vanegas and His Family in Nicaragua

December 20, 2022

Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 74/22 on December 19, 2022, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Rodrigo José Navarrete Vanegas and his family in Nicaragua, in the belief that they face a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to their rights.

According to the party who requested these precautionary measures, Rodrigo Navarrete is identified as a critic of Nicaragua's current government because he is a member of the board of the Organización de Víctimas de Abril (April Victims Organization) and demands protection for the rights of individuals he describes as "political prisoners," particularly his own nephew Jaime Navarrete. The proposed beneficiary was arrested on November 25, 2022, and is being held at the Jorge Navarro Penitentiary, unable to contact his family and lawyers. In keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of Nicaragua for information but did not receive an answer.

After assessing the legal and factual allegations made by the requesting party, the IACHR noted that the proposed beneficiary has been unable to contact his family and lawyers since he was detained, and that no information has been provided concerning his current conditions of detention or the state of his health, although he had prior health issues. The Commission further noted that Navarrete Vanegas had been subjected to prior threats by the authorities of the Jorge Navarro detention facility. The IACHR therefore found that Rodrigo Navarrete's life, personal integrity, and health are seriously at risk.

Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the Commission granted these precautionary measures and asked the State of Nicaragua to take the following action:

• Adopt any measures necessary to protect the rights to life, personal integrity, and health of Rodrigo José Navarrete Vanegas and his family
• Adopt any measures necessary to ensure that the beneficiary's conditions of detention reflect the applicable international standards and include the following actions: (i) ensuring that he is not subjected to threats, intimidation, harassment, or physical violence within penitentiary facilities; (ii) immediately conducting a specialist medical examination of his current health condition, so he receives adequate specialized care; (iii) providing the beneficiary with the treatment and medication he needs to address his health issues; and (iv) considering alternatives to deprivation of liberty, given the beneficiary's conditions of detention and the state of his health
• Come to an agreement with beneficiaries and their representatives concerning any measures that need to be taken
• Report on any actions adopted to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent such events from happening again in the future

The fact that these precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the American Convention on Human Rights and other applicable instruments.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for and to defend human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 283/22

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