Arizona Tribune - Madrid offers citizenship to more Nicaragua dissidents

Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega, who rights groups accuse of crushing dissent and undermining democracy, has stripped more than 300 opponents of their nationality.

The first group of 222 dissidents were unexpectedly freed from prison and flown to the United States eight days ago.

On Thursday, another 94 exiled dissidents had their citizenship taken from them.

Spain's foreign ministry said in a statement that it had "extended its offer of Spanish nationality" to them, after making the same offer to the first group.

It said it would make a similar offer to any Nicaraguan citizens left stateless by Ortega's government.

Among the dissidents who lost citizenship this week is perhaps Nicaragua's most acclaimed living author, Sergio Ramirez, who once served as vice president under Ortega.

He and other regime critics were stripped of their Nicaraguan nationality under the terms of a bill currently going through the Nicaraguan parliament.

On Friday, the UN refugee agency said the legislative reform was "contrary to Nicaragua's obligations under international and regional human rights law."

"International law prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of nationality including on racial, ethnic, religious or political grounds."

W.Stewart--AT