1/3/2023 0 Comments Laprensa com ni![]() In 2012, Nicaraguan feminists were able to bring to fruition Law 779, which increased legal understanding of violence against women as an issue of inequality, inclusive of “economic and psychological violence.” However, this law was poorly enforced, lacked government funding, and eventually its legal standing was diminished by Ortega. For the Autonomous Movement of Women ( Movimiento Autónomo de Mujeres), this law will do nothing to address the phenomenon of femicides and other forms of violence against women, and only narrows the legal scope of protection. ![]() Although instances of aggravated rape, child sexual abuse, or femicide will potentially receive longer sentences under these reforms, Ortega’s reforms will only consider the murder of a woman a femicide, with the accompanying higher penalty, if an intimate relationship exists between the victim and the perpetrator. The most recently proposed reforms narrow the definition of femicide which has left many defenders of women’s rights outraged. These reforms will likely continue this trend into the future. The impartiality of the judicial branch and separation of powers have already been significantly compromised by Ortega’s incessantly authoritarian executive branch. In June 2016, Nicaragua’s Supreme Court removed 16 congressmen, none of whom belonged to Ortega’s political party. Additionally, Ortega, through the use of presidential decrees, created longer terms for Supreme Court judges, citing “stability” as the reason. In 2010, the Ortega-led Sandinista National Liberation Front, added Sandinista judges to the Supreme Court, halted salaries for opposition judges, and fired opposition party staff. Of course, while perpetrators of acts of violence must be punished, to do so without a jury is a concerning violation of human rights.ĭuring Ortega’s presidency, there have been numerous infringements and set-backs to democracy. The argument for such a reform is that juries are often too sympathetic and acquit too readily. The government states that this legislation, in which only a judge tries the case in the absence of a jury, will create better judicial outcomes for victims of femicide or parricide by increasing convictions. These proposed reforms furthermore restrict the legal definition of femicide, which is a detriment to the rights of Nicaraguan women. These reforms appear to be aimed at fighting more aggravated and violent crimes, but could be utilized by Ortega to mollify his political opponents. These reforms proposed the formation of new special courts, without juries, headed by Ortega-approved judges. On June 2, 2017, the Nicaraguan legislature received from Daniel Ortega’s government a set of proposals to alter the current criminal law. ![]() To download a PDF version of this article, click here. By Alexia Rauen, Research Associate at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |