IACHR Grants Precautionary Measures to Eddy Castillo Muñoz, Nelly López García, and Juan Carlos Baquedano in Nicaragua

March 2, 2024

Washington, D.C. — On March 1, 2024, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 7/2024, through which it granted precautionary measures in favor of Eddy Antonio Castillo Muñoz, Nelly Griselda López García, and Juan Carlos Baquedano in Nicaragua, whom it deems to be at serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to their human rights.

According to the requesting party, the beneficiaries are identified or perceived as political opponents of the current Nicaraguan government and are reportedly being deprived of their liberty in various prisons. They are being held in substandard conditions, are not receiving the necessary medical attention to treat their illnesses, and are being subjected to attacks. The State has not provided any information that would make it possible to ascertain whether these risk factors have been adequately mitigated.

After analyzing the factual and legal allegations pertaining to this case, the IACHR found that Eddy Antonio Castillo Muñoz, Nelly Griselda López García, and Juan Carlos Baquedano are in a situation of risk and may be subjected to further violations of their rights, given their deprivation of freedom, current state of health, lack of access to adequate medical care, conditions of detention, and the acts of violence reported since their arrest. Therefore, in accordance with Rule 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR requests that the State of Nicaragua:

1. Adopt the necessary measures to protect the right to life, personal integrity, and health of Eddy Antonio Castillo Muñoz, Nelly Griselda López García, and Juan Carlos Baquedano and adopt the necessary measures to ensure that the beneficiaries' conditions of detention comply with applicable international standards in this area, including:
   1. guaranteeing that they will not be subjected to threats, intimidation, harassment, or aggression within the detention center;
   2. guaranteeing them access to appropriate, specialist medical care and ensuring that an expert medical assessment of their health is carried out without delay;
   3. providing them with the necessary treatment and medication for their conditions;
   4. guaranteeing them regular contact with and access to their relatives and legal representatives; and
   5. considering the possibility of granting alternative measures to the deprivation of freedom, given the impossibility of protecting their rights in the current conditions of detention;
2. agree on any measures to be taken with the beneficiaries and their representatives; and
3. report on the actions it implements to investigate the alleged events that led to the adoption of this precautionary measure so as to prevent them from being repeated.

The granting of these precautionary measures 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 the rights protected by the American Convention on Human Rights and other applicable instruments.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate stems from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has the mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as an advisory body to the OAS on the matter. The IACHR is made up of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity, and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 044/24

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