Two opposition activists in Nicaragua have been sentenced to more than 200 years in prison over their participation in anti-government protests last year. Medardo Mairena and Pedro Mena were found guilty of “terrorism”.
More than 320 people were killed in clashes between the security forces and demonstrators as the government cracked down on the protests.
Medardo Mairena and Pedro Mena plotted the murder of four police officers and a teacher killed during a shoot-out outside a police station in the village of Morrito in July, judge Edgar Altamirano said.
The two farmers’ leaders, he said, were the “intellectual authors” of the incident even though the two men were taking part in an anti-government march in the capital Managua, more than 200km (125 miles) away, at the time.
The government said the police station in Morrito had been attacked by protesters during a march demanding that President Daniel Ortega step down but demonstrators said they had been shot at as they marched passed and only then returned fire. Mairena and Mena were also found guilty of organised crime and terrorism. (BBC)
