The dictatorship first used their Cybercrimes Law as a “gag law” to criminalize opponents and journalists. They’re now extending it to any citizen that questions Ortega or his policies.
HAVANA TIMES – The Ortega regime’s tolerance for criticism on social media has sunk to zero. Any citizen in Nicaragua who posts an opinion against the regime can be imprisoned, whether they had one follower or thousands. The objective is to “criminalize” and “neutralize” any and all critical voices, state criminal lawyers after analyzing the recent abduction and jailing of Professor Freddy Quezada and Tik Tokker Geovany Lopez Acevedo.
“The government’s message [with these detentions] is clear: he or she who opens their mouth and expresses their thoughts [against government policies] is going to jail,” affirmed “Manuel” [assumed name], a criminal lawyer.
The attorney noted that the so-called “Gag Law” – officially the Special Cybercrimes Law – was initially utilized as a “political instrument” to process and sentence political and social leaders who are now banished from Nicaragua. However, in the three years since its approval, its application against the public has been generalized.
Juan Diego Barbarena, a lawyer and member of the opposition, considers that this legislation is no longer a law aimed at political dissidents, but now functions as a legal tool to “implant” more fear and to silence the population, no matter what type of criticism was expressed on the social networks.
Geovany Lopez was detained by the police on November 22, after he criticized on TikTok the television news anchors of the government-allied Channel 13 for making fun of the life history of Sheyniss Palacios, the young Nicaraguan woman who become Miss Universe on November 18.
Meanwhile, Freddy Quezada, who criticized the dictatorship on his social media account was taken from his home by plain-clothed officials on November 29. Both were then transferred to Nicaragua’s La Modelo pr