Nicaragua: CFWIJ condemns the legal harassment of Maria Lilly Delgado

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June 2, 2021 - Freelance journalist Maria Lilly Delgado was summoned on May 24 to testify in a money laundering case. At her second meeting on May 28, prosecutors informed Maria that she was now under investigation. The journalist responded to the previous summons, but authorities wanted to question her without her lawyer. The police released the journalist after she refused the interrogation without legal counsel. Nicaraguan authorities have yet to inform the journalist about potential criminal charges and the inquiry against her.  Since late May, at least 16 journalists have been ordered to testify in a money laundering case related to Christiana Chamorro, a potential presidential candidate. CFWIJ demands official authorities end the intimidation of journalists and refrain from implicating them in criminal investigations. 

Maria Lilly Delgado, associated with the American-based television network Univision, stated that she did not receive any additional information about the ongoing criminal case. She recounts that prosecutors denied her lawyer access to the interrogation and even accused her of being uncooperative. She was ready to answer all the questions, but the statement given to her was incorrect, with major inaccuracies. Maria requested the authorities revise the document, but they failed to do so. On May 28, Heidy Ramirez, a government prosecutor, revealed the journalist was no longer a witness but a person of interest in the investigation. 
Maria was formerly associated with the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation (FVBCh). Now, the public ministry is looking into her tenure with FVBCh, citing mismanagement of funds. Maria attests that she did not know of any mishandling of her bank account. The journalist defends that she is no longer an employee of the organization and has no access to its bank accounts. Maria shared the situation of her changing status in the investigation on Twitter.

The former director of the radio program Onda Local, Patricia Orozco, was also contacted by the public ministry office to testify as a witness. Patricia stated she will appear in front of authorities as she has nothing to hide. She is prepared to testify to the transparency in the cooperation that Onda Local has received from FVBCh. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands Nicaraguan authorities investigating the money laundering case to end its intimidation of journalists. We reiterate the importance of a fair inquiry that does not arbitrarily target members of the free press. CFWIJ is alarmed by the emerging trend of the police pressuring journalists to testify in judicial proceedings.