Committee of Concerned Scientists

An international non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.

An independent non-profit organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars dedicated to protecting the human rights and scientific freedom of our colleagues around the world.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Annual Reports
    • Contact Information
    • History
    • Leadership
  • CCS Active Case Updates
  • Human Rights Resources
    • Human Rights Orgs
    • General HR Res
    • US Govt Agencies

Medical Student In Nicaragua Reportedly Beaten While Detained

November 27, 2018

Amaya Eva Coppens, a medical student at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Leon, was arrested following a protest demonstration on September 10th. On October 26, it was reported that she and 18 other women confined at La Speranza prison were attacked and beaten by over 20 unidentified, hooded men. None of the women received medical treatment. Four days following the attack members of the Special Monitoring Mechanism for Nicaragua accompanied by the Permanent Human Rights Commission attempted to visit the prison to observe the condition of the attacked prisoners but were denied entrance. CCS has written to the President of Nicaragua again urging dismissal of this case and the immediate release of Amaya Coppens with assurance of her safety and necessary medical care.

November 28, 2018

Daniel Ortega Saavedra
President of the Republic of Nicaragua
Frente a Palacio Nacional, Calle 4 Noroeste
Managua, Nicaragua, 11001
Fax: +505 2228 9090
Twitter: @EPP_Nicaragua @DanielOrtega_Ni

Dear President Saavedra:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.

We write to reiterate our grave concerns for Amaya Eva Coppens, a medical student at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Leon (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua en León UNAN-Leon), who was arrested after a protest on September 10th and charged on September 19th.

We first wrote you on October 29 expressing our concern that, as one of the leaders of the 19th of April Student Movement (Movimiento Estudiantil 19 de Abril) in the city of Leon, her arrest may, in fact, be related to her peaceful political activities.

Three days earlier, on October 26, it was reported that Amaya Eva Coppens was among 18 women who were attacked and beaten in “La Esperanza” prison by over 20 unidentified, hooded men, and that neither she nor any of the other women received medical attention.

Four days after this violent assault, members of the Special Monitoring Mechanism for Nicaragua (MESENI), established by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), accompanied by the Permanent Human Rights Commission (Comisión Permanente de Derechos Humanos), attempted to visit “La Esperanza” prison to observe the condition of the attacked prisoners, but were denied entry.

As we noted in our previous letter, Amaya Eva Coppens has already been subjected to death threats, and in April was beaten by police and others during protests. We grow increasingly alarmed at the treatment to which she and her fellow female prisoners are being subjected, and we are now deeply fearful for her physical safety.

We urge that Amaya Eva Coppens be released immediately and that take all steps necessary to ensure her safety. While she remains in detention, we call on you to ensure that her treatment meets the standards established in the “Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment”, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly resolution 43/173 in December 1988. This includes ensuring that she is not subjected to torture, or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and that she is provided with all necessary medical care.
Thank you again for your attention to this most urgent matter, and we look forward to receiving your response.

Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

cc:
Ambassador Francisco Obadiah Campbell Hooker
Embassy of Nicaragua
1627 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20009
Phone: 202-939-6570 I Fax: 202-939-6545
Email: fcampbell@cancilleria.gob.ni

Filed Under: CCS Cases Tagged With: Amaya, Amaya Eva Coppens, arrested, Coppens, Nicaragua, protest

Who We Are

Co-chairs

Joel L. Lebowitz, Rutgers University

Paul H. Plotz, M.D., Washington, DC

Walter Reich, George Washington University

Eugene Chudnovsky, Lehman College

Alexander Greer, Brooklyn College

Vice-chairs

Astronomy – Arno Penzias, New Enterprises Associates*

Biology – Max E. Gottesman, Columbia University

Chemistry – Zafra Lerman, MIMSAD Inc.

Computer Science – Rachelle Heller, The George Washington University

Computer Science – Jack Minker, University of Maryland, College Park

Engineering – Philip Sarachik, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

Mathematics – Simon Levin, Princeton University

Medical Sciences – J. Joseph Blum, Duke University

Honorary Board Members

Nancy Andrews, Duke University

David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology*

Alan J. Bard, University of Texas

Jacob Bigeleisen (deceased), SUNY, Stony Brook

Raoul Bott (deceased), Harvard University

Owen Chamberlain (deceased), University of California, Berkeley

Stanley Deser, Brandeis University

Edward Gerjuoy, University of Pittsburg

David Gross, (2004 Nobel Prize in Physics), Kavil Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara*

Pierre Hohenberg (deceased), New York University

Walter Kohn (deceased), University of California, Santa Barbara*

James Langer, University of California, Santa Barbara

Peter Lax, New York University

Louis Nirenberg, New York University

Marshall Nirenberg (deceased), National Institutes of Health*

Honorary Board Members

John C. Polanyi, University of Toronto*

Stuart Rice, University of Chicago

Sir Richard J. Roberts, (1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine), New England Biolabs*

Myriam Sarachick, City College of New York

Harold Scheraga, Cornell University

Sylvan Schweber (deceased), Brandeis University

Maxine Singer, Carnegie Institution of Washington

Alfred I. Tauber, Boston University

Steven Weinberg, University of Texas, Austin*

Myrna Weissman, Columbia University

Rosalyn S. Yalow (deceased), Mount Sinai School of Medicine*

* Nobel laureate

Search Site

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in posts
Search in pages
Filter by Categories
Additional Information
Angola
Annual Reports
Australia
Bahrain
Belarus
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cameroon
CCS Board
CCS Cases
Chile
China
Colombia
Cuba
Egypt
Ethiopia
France
Germany
Good News
Greece
Highlights
History
Human Rights Resources
India
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Italy
Malaysia
Morocco
North America Issues
Pakistan
Pakistan
Palestinian Territories
Peru
Petitions
Poland
Press
Previous Highlights
Prominent Cases
Related Articles
Reports
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Spain
Sudan
Swaziland
Syria
Thailand
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Nations
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam

View Results in New Window...

Browse by Country

Archives

Join Us

Become a member of our humanitarian enterprise.

Sign up

Support CCS

Remember to register with AmazonSmiles as a donor to the Committee of Concerned Scientists. Then anytime you shop there CCS will receive a donation from Amazon. Since people spend a lot during this time of year it can benefit CCS greatly if you remember to do this. There is no additional cost to you.

FURTHER DIRECTIONS

Translate This Page

Click on the flags or use the menu below for a translation of this page.

[google-translator]

Press Enter to Search

Like us on Facebook

Committee of Concerned Scientists

Public Affairs and Administrative Office
Carol Valoris, Executive Director
PO Box 3708 Silver Spring, MD  20918
Phone: (202) 812-8074
carolvaloris@concernedscientists.org

Copyright © 2022 • Concerned Sci Child Theme on Genesis Framework • WordPress • Log in