The text of the following statement on Nicaragua was released by the Governments of Australia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, pursuant to their collective commitment to the defense of civil society organizations around the world.

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The Foreign Ministries of Australia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, in support of our civil society partners, strongly condemn the recent actions taken by the government of Nicaragua to cancel the legal registration of Nicaraguan civil society organizations working on a range of democratic governance and human rights issues, including: the Institute of Strategic Studies and Public Policies (IEEPP), the Center for Information and Advice on Health Services (CISAS), Hagamos Democracia, the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH), the Institute for the Development of Democracy (IPADE), the Nicaraguan Center for Communication (CINCO), Popol Na, the Segovias Leadership Institute and the Rio Foundation.

The arbitrary cancelation of the legal standing of these civil society organizations (CSOs) and subsequent ransacking of several offices by National Police are a direct attack on the fundamental freedoms of the Nicaraguan people. The work of these organizations is essential to account for the ongoing human rights abuses and violations in Nicaragua. We urge the government of Nicaragua to reinstate the legal standing of these CSOs immediately, to cease all threats and attacks against Nicaraguan civil society and to uphold the fundamental freedoms in accordance with its international human rights law obligations.

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In addition to the above statement, the United States underscores the serious and negative impact on all Nicaraguan CSOs of the Ortega/Murillo regime’s December 19 expulsion of experts investigating human rights abuses in Nicaragua. The expulsions of human rights experts and the cancelation of legal standing of CSOs cannot hide the extensive, systematic human rights violations and abuses committed by the Ortega/Murillo regime.

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The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

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The Troika (United States, Norway, and the UK) join the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in condemning the appalling harassment and abuse of monitors from the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mission (CTSAMVM) on Tuesday, December 18. We are particularly concerned at reports that the attack on the monitors was carried out by the South Sudanese National Security Service. It is imperative that the Government of South Sudan investigate and hold accountable those found responsible. Any action that compromises the safety, integrity, and free movement of the CTSAMVM mission is unacceptable and a breach of the September 12th Peace Agreement, to which the Government of South Sudan is a party. CTSAMVM’s verification mission is essential to ensuring accountability for actions that undermine peace. In doing so, it plays an essential role in building the confidence needed if a lasting peace in South Sudan is to be realized.

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The below is attributable to Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino:

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo called Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati today to commend the Albanian government for expelling two Iranian officials, including the Iranian Ambassador to Albania, in response to an Iran-sponsored plot to carry out a terrorist attack in Albania. Following recent arrests that disrupted Iranian-backed plots in Denmark and France, Albania’s actions send a clear message that Iranian terrorism is unacceptable on European soil. Secretary Pompeo congratulated Foreign Minister Bushati on Albania’s confirmation as OSCE Chair-in-Office in 2020. We look forward to working with Albania at the OSCE to champion Western values.

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The United States is disappointed by the Government of Bangladesh’s inability to grant credentials and issue visas within the timeframe necessary to conduct a credible international monitoring mission to the majority of international election monitors from the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), which the United States funded through the National Democratic Institute. As a result, ANFREL was forced to cancel its observation mission for the December 30 national election. The lack of an international observation mission makes it even more important for the Government of Bangladesh to complete the accreditation of all the local NGOs that constitute the Election Working Group, which includes some funded by USAID, so they can conduct the vital work of monitoring the election.

In the lead up to any democratic election there must be space for peaceful expression and assembly; for independent media to do its job covering electoral developments; for participants to have access to information; and for all individuals to be able to partake in the electoral process without harassment, intimidation, or violence. We encourage the Government of Bangladesh to uphold its commitment to a democratic process by ensuring all Bangladeshis are free to peacefully express themselves and participate in December 30 election.

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Canada, a country governed by the rule of law, is conducting a fair, unbiased, and transparent legal proceeding with respect to Ms. Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of Huawei. Canada respects its international legal commitments by honoring its extradition treaty with the United States. We share Canada’s commitment to the rule of law as fundamental to all free societies, and we will defend and uphold this principle. We also express our deep concern for the Chinese Government’s detention of two Canadians earlier this month and call for their immediate release.

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