Nicaraguan students ‘expelled’ after violent protests

Students in Nicaragua are being expelled from their universities and handed over to police after participating in mass protests against the state, according to local news reports.

A series of protests staged in Managua earlier this year turned violent when pro-government forces attacked the capital’s largest university campus.

During one week of demonstrations at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN), in Managua, 10 people are reported to have been killed, including school-age pupils and members of the public caught up in clashes between police and student-led groups.

Months later, students have spoken of having been forcibly removed from their courses and accused of terrorism because of their participation in the protests.

More than 100 students from UNAN have already been expelled for “political reasons”, the Panam Post reported, and eight others stand to be charged with offences related to terrorism.

Speaking to La Prensa, Pablo Cuevas, a lawyer from Nicaragua’s human rights commission, said that there was a growing sense that it was “dangerous to be young” in the country. “I would add that it is even more dangerous to be a student because the authorities see someone with a backpack and they begin to persecute him, arrest him and violate his civil rights,” he said.

According to local press reports, students have been expelled for offences including posting criticisms of the country’s president, Daniel Ortega, on social media.

UNAN officials claim, however, that the students quit their studies after disrespecting teachers, classmates and administrative staff.

One fired academic responded that students and staff had been dismissed by universities on account of “political discrimination”. “They accuse us, even on social media, of being terrorists and coup plotters, when they are the ones who are shredding the Constitution,” said Carlos Roberto Garcia, who was dismissed from his job at UNAN in September.

The conflict in Nicaragua started in April after government ministers announced plans to cut social welfare for vulnerable groups.

Mr Ortega agreed to scrap the controversial reforms soon after the violence began, but protests have continued, with rebel leaders demanding his resignation.

Human rights groups say that more than 320 people have been killed in the violence since April and that more remain missing.

rachael.pells@timeshighereducation.com