Two years ago, Nicaraguan activist and political prisoner María Esperanza Sánchez was unjustly sentenced to 10 years in prison for exercising her rights and participating in the construction of a more just and equal Nicaragua.
Since Thursday, May 12, Esperanza Sánchez has had difficulty walking, asthma and high blood pressure in addition to the consequences of the physical and psychological torture she has experienced in a prison known as "La Esperanza" (just as her middle name, which ironically means “hope” in Spanish). Her relatives have reported that her health is fast deteriorating yet has been deprived of the medical attention she needs to recuperate.
Like María Esperanza, many political prisoners experience systematic torture and mistreatment, poor nutrition, medical neglect, drug deprivation, among others which put their lives at risk. According to the World Health Organisation, the right to health for all people means that everyone should have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them without suffering financial hardship.
Tweet now ─ Let’s stand together to urge the Nicaraguan authorities to respect and protect Ms. María’s human rights in health and liberty.
Civic space in Nicaragua is rated ‘closed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. It is currently on the CIVICUS Monitor Watch List, which identifies countries in which a severe and abrupt deterioration in the quality of civic space is taking place.