A Nicaraguan court ruled that the arrested bishop would be tried

A Nicaraguan court has ruled that Bishop Rolando Alvarez will be tried for “conspiracy to undermine security”. From what is known so far, the chances of a fair trial seem slim.

On Tuesday, January 10, Bishop Rolando Alvarez of Matagalpa was brought to court. Bishop, by police since August monitoredAccording to the US News Agency OSV Lean and irregular.

Conspiracy and fake news

The hearing was held to determine if Bishop Alvarez would face trial, and it has been decided. According to a court press release, Alvarez is charged with “conspiracy to undermine national security and disseminating fake news harmful to Nicaraguan society.”

In the message, the court said the allegations were substantiated and the order of house arrest would be upheld. Priest Uriel Antonio Vallejos, who has been in exile for months in neighboring Costa Rica, has been accused of “the same crimes,” according to the press release.

No fair trial

The details so far known about the trial indicate that Bishop Alvarez is unlikely to receive a fair trial. This is what Nicaraguan lawyer and human rights activist living in the United States, Yader Morazán, says. “[Bisschop Alvarez] “The questioning was done by a shadow jury, with no chance for relatives to be present,” Morason explains. OSV.

Morason is particularly critical of the judge and defense attorney involved in the case. Bishop Alvarez was not allowed to choose his own attorney, but Jennifer Hernandez was appointed. Morazán said Hernández was “the government’s defense attorney, the chosen one in the trials with the priests.” According to him, he has ties to the regime and is known to be very weakly protective of priests.

‘Tomorrow’s Executor’

The appointed judge, Gloria Saavetra, called Morazán “the executioner of the day” on Twitter. According to human rights activists, Saavedra does not have the proper documents to allow the case to be decided. “He was appointed in 2019, after anti-government protests,” he explains. Catholic News Agency. “She has no legal training and no authority to administer justice.”

Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua, sees the church together Political enemy Because he speaks out against Ortega’s repressive policies and supports pro-democracy demonstrations. Bishop Alvarez was one of his most outspoken critics until his arrest.