Nicaragua resumes trials against dozens of government opponents

The prosecutor's office said the trials would start again on Tuesday after family members of the accused people, whom government opponents consider to be political prisoners, issued a letter last week asking the administration of President Daniel Ortega to free their jailed relatives. The families' initiative was backed by the head of the Organization of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro and Nicaragua's main business chamber, which has seen three of its main executives imprisoned.

Nicaraguan prosecutors said on Monday that trials will resume for more than 40 government opponents, including some former presidential candidates, accused of conspiracy, money laundering and other crimes against national security. The prosecutor's office said the trials would start again on Tuesday after family members of the accused people, whom government opponents consider to be political prisoners, issued a letter last week asking the administration of President Daniel Ortega to free their jailed relatives.

The families' initiative was backed by the head of the Organization of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro and Nicaragua's main business chamber, which has seen three of its main executives imprisoned. "They will be prosecuted for undermining national integrity, for having received resources from foreign sources to commit crimes of money, property and asset laundering," the prosecutor's office said about the jailed people, adding that they have "harmed the supreme interests of the nation".

Ortega, re-elected in November after many of his political adversaries were jailed, began his fourth term on Jan. 10. The relatives of the jailed opponents have said the prisoners are enduring torture and their health has declined. The government denies the allegations.