Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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129. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on recent protests in Nicaragua; the steps being taken at EU level to address this issue; the measures that have been taken at EU level to secure the release of those who have been arbitrarily detained, who includes amongst them a Belgian national; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38742/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the recent protests in Nicaragua and of the case of the Belgian-Nicaraguan medical student who was detained, to which the Deputy refers. The right to freedom of expression and to peaceful demonstration are fundamental to a functioning democracy. I wholeheartedly condemn the use of violence and intimidation, and the arbitrary detention of citizens attempting to peacefully express their views. The recent events in Nicaragua are deeply concerning. The recent expulsion of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) following the publishing of its report detailing the worrying human rights abuses that have taken place in the country, was yet another troubling development.

I call on the Nicaraguan Government to seriously consider the findings of the OHCHR report and take urgent action to implement its recommendations. I would also urge it to allow the OHCHR officials to re-enter the country and continue their valuable work. Their presence is fundamental for the restoration of trust to all parties. Full co-operation and access should also be given to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Ireland engages on this issue regularly at EU and UN level, and supports the clear EU position and strong statements on the situation. Ireland also supports EU action taken to support international and local initiatives to address the human rights situation, promote a culture of peace, and to provide support to victims of the crisis and their families, including by advocating for the release of those arbitrarily detained, among them the Belgian-Nicaraguan national referred to by the Deputy.

I believe that inclusive dialogue remains the only way of negotiating a peaceful and democratic resolution to this crisis, and of restoring the trust of the Nicaraguan people in the country’s institutions. I encourage all relevant actors in Nicaragua to fully engage in the National Dialogue. Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin and in the Embassy of Ireland to Mexico, which is responsible for Ireland’s relations with Nicaragua, will continue to monitor the situation in Nicaragua and engage with human rights defenders and civil society organisations working on the ground.