Jared Genser, International Human Rights Lawyer, Celebrates the Release of Two Clients Illegally Imprisoned in Nicaragua

Felix Maradiaga and Juan Sebastian Chamorro, two of Genser’s pro bono clients, were of the 222 political prisoners released from Nicaragua on February 9. The former presidential candidates were illegally imprisoned in Nicaragua and are now in the United States.

Genser, warns that this release does not mean Ortega is changing course; he remains a dictator who acts with impunity. Given Ortega’s conviction and imprisonment of Catholic Bishop Monsignor Rolando Alvarez, Genser declared that Ortega “completely destroyed his gesture of liberation. What it does is remind us of his weakness and who he really is.” Nevertheless, Genser believes that there is potential for these “extraordinary people to work together in the coming weeks and months to build a common platform to advance the democratization of Nicaragua.”

In photo: Felix Maradiaga, Berta Valle, Jared Genser, Victoria Cardenas, and Juan Sebastian Chamorro.

Jared Genser received the 2020 Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize for his urgency, creativity and dedication to using the law to free political prisoners, protect human rights and challenge autocracy around the world. Read more about him and his work here.