Reynders discusses arrest Belgian student with Nicaragua

Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders has Friday on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York in the matter of the in Nicaragua arrested a Belgian student Amaya Eva Coppens discussed with the Nicaraguan minister for National Policy. Reynders insisted on the consular assistance and inspection in the dossier.

The 23-year-old Coppens, daughter of a Belgian father and a Nicaraguan mother, was on 10 september arrested in the city of Leon. They are accused of ‘terrorism’ and ‘possession of firearms’ and was released last week for the first time in court for a hearing. It is for Belgium not evident to her consular assistance because they have dual nationality.

“I have asked that the young woman consular, or at least humanitarian assistance should get, and that we have access to the file would get together and would be able to verify whether there really are allegations that a judicial proceeding to justify’, reports Reynders. The foreign minister does not have the elements of the case, but that would be according to the family it is very light weigh.

It is the first time that the arrest of Coppens on the political level is discussed. Paul Oquist, the Nicaraguan minister for National Policy, promised the issue and both ministers agreed that the permanent representatives of both countries in New York further contact would include. In addition, the situation of the student of medicine will also be monitored by the Belgian consul in Panama, and Luxembourg time in Nicaragua.

For months protests

In the Central American Nicaragua, for months protested against the authoritarian rule of president Daniel Ortega. With the protests according to human rights organizations for many hundreds of people to the life to come. The regime shifts the blame of the violence in the shoes of the opposition, but wants to own say a new national dialogue launch for the situation to calm down.

“If the dialogue between the different parties in Nicaragua effectively brought about, then that would may have the opportunity to press what to relieve by a number of people, and I have the impression that this young woman was one of the first should be’, decided Reynders.