Marcos Carmona

Cases
Location of case in SG report
2019-078-003
Relevant SG report
Year of the report
2019
Country Geolocation

Latitude: 12.865416

Longitude: -85.207229

Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
Nicaragua
From Region
Type of record
Named individual
Gender
Male
Was the victim a foreign national?
No
Was the victim a minor?
No
Individual's/organization's activity

of the Comisión Permanente de Derechos Humanos (CPDH)

Type of rights defended
  • Unclear in SG Report
Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
No
Reported trigger of reprisal

those who regularly share information on human rights violations with OHCHR

Engagement with UN body
  • OHCHR: OHCHR - General
Dates of engagement
Unclear
Type of attempted engagement
  • Submission of information to UN
Dates of mentioned reprisals
Between June 2018 and May 2019
Reprisal information

harassment and persecution: Those affected have reported threats, harassments and smear campaigns on social media. Their homes and families have been under surveillance by police officers and pro-government armed elements. In some instances, their relatives suffered attacks against their life and personal integrity.

In 12 of the 23 cases, victims were arrested or had arrest warrants issued against them: unclear whether applicable to this case.

Types of reprisals suffered
  • Defamation / Defamation campaign
  • Family/friends/acquaintances targeted
  • Online harassment
  • Surveillance
  • Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
Alleged/likely perpetrators
Both state and non-state actors
Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
No
Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
No
Was the case raised by a State at the UN?
Yes
Which State raised the case at the UN and when?

BENELUX raised the case in August 2021 at the 48th session of the HRC during the interactive dialogue with the Assistant Secretary-General on the report on reprisals; “To ensure accountability, BENELUX wishes to express our particular concern about the following cases of reprisals: – In Nicaragua, the reprisals against Ms. de Escorcia, Mr. Toruño, Mr. Carmona, and Mr. Jonathan López indicate continued harassment of civil society and media in the run-up to the elections in November.”

Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
No
Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
No
Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
No
How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
2
In which SG report was this case followed up on? 0
2020
Follow up information provided in SG report 0

The 2019 report of the Secretary-General noted that, from June 2018 to May 2019, OHCHR documented 23 cases of harassment and persecution against those who regularly share information with OHCHR, 17 of whom consented to be named in the report while others did not owing to a fear of further reprisals (A/HRC/42/30, para. 69 and Annex I, paras. 78–84). One of these individuals, Mr. Marcos Carmona (A/HRC/42/30, paras. 69 and Annex I, para. 78), 62 of the Comisión Permanente de Derechos Humanos (CPDH), and other members of CPDH, were reportedly subjected to repeated threats, harassment and intimidation during the reporting period, in particular by police officers. 96. Between June and September 2019, police officers on multiple occasions reportedly surrounded the premises of CPDH and intimidated those who tried to file complaints of possible human rights violations. In September 2019, a female lawyer who provided legal assistance to victims in the context of the protests went into exile after receiving threats against her sons on social media, and after unknown pro-government actors vandalized her house with graffiti. On 12 July 2019, the Inter-American Court on Human Rights issued provisional measures for Mr. Carmona and members of the CPDH. 63

Followup Trends 0
Deterioration/further reprisals
Did the government respond? 0
No
Was this case followed up by a UN body? 0
  • Assistant Secretary-General
In which SG report was this case followed up on? 1
2021
Follow up information provided in SG report 1
  1. The case of Mr. Marcos Carmona, of the Comisión Permanente de Derechos Humanos (CPDH), was included in the 2020 and 2019 reports of the Secretary-General213 on allegations of threats, harassment and intimidation by police for regularly engaging with OHCHR. During the reporting period, members of the CPDH were reportedly the target of arbitrary detention, harassment, and intimidation by police officers, and police patrols have frequently been stationed outside CPDH’s offices in Managua (A/HRC/46/21, para. 17). According to information received by OHCHR, on 11 September 2020, Mr. Carmona and his son questioned the police about their presence outside the house of Mr. Carmona’s son. The police reportedly responded with threats and one officer fired his gun into the ground near Mr. Carmona’s son. The next day, Mr. Carmona went to two police stations in Managua to register a formal complaint but was refused. He eventually was able to file the complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s office, but reportedly no action has been taken.
Followup Trends 1
Deterioration/further reprisals
Did the government respond? 1
No