A/HRC/42/18 three men. On 30 March 2019, the National Police issued a press release indicating that, when the individual was assaulted, shots were fired which wounded three people. 15 However, this statement differed from the videos of the incident, which showed an individual shooting at demonstrators before being neutralized; other images showed people beating the aggressor. During demonstrations that were generally carried out in a peaceful manner, a small number of protesters threw stones or fired homemade mortars at the police. OHCHR registered injuries by protesters to two police officers 16 and a man in September 2018 and did not receive any reports about the use of firearms by protesters. 15. Some of the attacks perpetrated by pro-Government armed elements or mobs were conducted with the acquiescence of police officers. For example, on 15 June 2019, proGovernment elements intimidated, beat and threw stones at persons attending a Catholic religious service to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of a 15-year-old boy killed in the context of 2018 demonstrations. Deployed outside the cathedral, the police did not prevent the attack. 16. A massive deployment of police officers was often observed in urban areas, including in and around shopping malls, courthouses and Catholic churches. Such unusual, massive deployment had a deterrent effect on those wishing to protest. Crackdowns on demonstrations by the police, together with attacks by pro-Government armed elements, had a chilling effect, prompting the cancellation of many protests or to the decision to break them up into several smaller gatherings. 17 IV. Rights to the freedoms of expression and association Freedom of expression 17. Media workers, journalists, human rights defenders, peasants, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, students and members of the Catholic clergy continued to be subjected to attacks, criminalization, seizure of their assets, intimidation, threats, harassment and smear campaigns by authorities and/or pro-Government elements. Relevant authorities did not take measures to prevent, investigate, prosecute and sanction such acts. In some cases, State authorities publicly blamed human rights defenders for having been instrumental in the “coup attempt”.18 This situation had a deterrent effect on the exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and association. 18. Media workers and journalists who have expressed criticism of the Government, and the media outlets for which they work, 19 were subjected to bans on publications or broadcasting, raids, cyberattacks and confiscation of printed materials, films or audio recordings, among others. On 21 December 2018, after the police searched the headquarters of the television station 100% Noticias, Miguel Mora, owner and director of the outlet – who had been previously threatened with death by police officers – and Lucía Pineda, the news director, were arrested and charged with incitement to hatred and terrorism-related crimes, without sufficient evidence. Both were released on 11 June 2019, after being detained for over five months under difficult conditions, including solitary confinement, and without due process of law. On 15 May 2019, during the universal periodic review of 15 16 17 18 19 National Police, Public Relations Division, press release 10-2019, 30 March 2019. National Police, Public Relations Division, press release 115-2018, 28 September 2018. A civil society organization reported a drastic decrease in the number of demonstrations, from 56 in September 2018 alone to 43 during the period from October 2018 to February 2019. Fundación Nicaragüense para el Desarrollo Económico y Social (FUNIDES), Nicaragua en Crisis Política y Socioeconómica : Informe de Coyuntura, May 2019, p. 12. Oral intervention of the State of Nicaragua during the thirty-third universal periodic review session, available at http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/security-council/watchbr%20/watch/nicaragua-upradoption-33rd-session-of-universal-periodic-review-/6038140075001/?term=&sort=popular. Including, inter alia, 100% Noticias, Confidencial, La Prensa, Esta Noche, El Nuevo Diario, Radio Mi Voz, Radio Darío and Radio La Costeñísima. 5