Dokument #1065682
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
During a telephone conversation with the
IRBDC on 17 August 1990, Mr. Lino Hern ndez of the Permanent
Committee for Human Rights of Nicaragua stated that a decree ending
military conscription has been approved by the government and there
is currently no conscription. However, those who were drafted
before the decree must complete their regular military service of
two years. The source added that there have been cases of people
held for service after their regular two-year term has been
completed. Mr. Hern ndez indicated that the Nicaraguan government
has promised to end all compulsory military service by 8 December
1990.
Regarding desertion, the same source stated
that there are currently some cases of deserters undergoing trial.
According to Mr. Hern ndez, the penalty varies according to the
circumstances and could result in a jail term of up to six years
except for desertion in the midst of battle, in which case the
deserter could receive a sentence of up to 12 or possibly even 20
years in prison. Mr. Hern ndez stated that the broad amnesty passed
by the Sandinista government before the recent transfer of power
covered mostly cases of military personnel who committed abuses and
"contra" guerrillas. The CPDH speaker stated that a more recent
amnesty approved by the new government is not very clearly defined
and applies only to political crimes. The CPDH has reportedly
complained to the government for 20 cases of people currently being
tried for political crimes, alleging that the charges laid against
them have been changed to appear as common crimes. Deserters were
not reported to be among these cases.
Additional and/or corroborating information
could not be found among the sources currently available to the
IRBDC.