Nicaragua frees protesters who aided mothers on hunger strike
Blue and White National Unity
TheNicaraguan government said it freed more than 90 people on Mondaywhorights groups say were jailed for anti-government activity, including about a dozen peoplewhowere arrested after ferrying water to a group ofmothersonhungerstrike.
Dozens of people have been jailed since April 2018, after demonstrations against President Daniel Ortega's attempt to cut welfare benefits escalated into broader protests of his rule.
The protests also left more than 300 people dead, according to rights groups.
The interior ministry said 91 people have been released as part of a "special act" aimed at national reconciliation, including prominent student protester Amaya Coppens.
TheNicaraguan and Belgian national, along with a dozen otherprotesters, delivered water last month to ninemotherswhowere on ahungerstrikedemanding the release of their children that they consider to be political prisoners.
The police cut off water and electricity supplies to the church in the city of Masaya soon after thehungerstrikebegan. Themotherswere later transported to a hospital.
During thestrike, the government accused 13 activistswhobrought water to themothersof planning to carry out terrorist attacks.
On Monday, a video posted on social media showed Coppens waving a large blue-and-whiteNicaraguan flag, chanting, "Yes, we did it!"
Another freed prisoner, Olga Valle, said in a separate video: "Families, take in your people. We left, we did it. Long live freeNicaragua."
The opposition Blue and White National Unity movement said about 80 people are still jailed for political reasons.
"We continue demanding the liberation of every single political prisoner," the grouping of opposition organizations said in a statement.