,h4 ,,res4 #ged ,in the ,house of ,representatives1 ,u4 ,s41 ,march #i1 #bjbj ,,resolution ,whereas the government of ,daniel ,ortega has concentrated power and brought about the progressive deterioration of democratic conditions in ,nicaragua2 ,whereas recent elections in ,nicaragua1 including the #bjaf ,presidential elections1 have been marred by irregularities and characterized by significant restrictions on the participation of opposition parties and the absence of credible international and local electoral observers2 ,whereas ,nicaraguan security forces1 parapolice1 and other actors working under the direction of the ,ortega regime committed gross violations of human rights and acts of repression1 resulting in more than #cbe deaths1 over #b1jjj injuries1 and at least #hjj arbitrary detentions during the peaceful protests that took place in #bjah1 according to the ,organization of ,american ,states2 ,whereas a report by the ,interdisciplinary ,group of ,independent ,experts1 appointed by the ,organization of ,american ,states ,inter-,american ,commission on ,human ,rights1 determined that the ,ortega regime used deliberate1 lethal force against protesters and committed acts of torture that meet the international legal standard of crimes against humanity2 ,whereas an estimated #fb1jjj ,nicaraguans fled the country between ,april #bjah and ,april #bjai1 according to the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,refugees2 ,whereas the ,ortega government reneged on its commitment in #bjai to release all political prisoners by releasing just #cib people1 of which #bhf were released to house arrest with charges still pending1 while the ,blue and ,white ,national ,unity coalition alleges that there remain at least #ef political prisoners as of ,february #ae1 #bjbj2 ,whereas a ,united ,states citizen and ,navy veteran1 #eg-year-old ,eddy ,montes1 was shot and killed while in the custody of the ,nicaraguan police at ,la ,modelo ,prison on ,may #af1 #bjai2 ,whereas the government of ,daniel ,ortega has severely restricted freedom of the press by closing five local television stations1 attacking independent radio stations1 arbitrarily detaining journalists1 and illegally restricting print supplies from entering the country2 ,whereas the ,ortega regime has violated the economic and political rights protections of indigenous communities1 rural campesinos1 land rights defenders1 and those living in the ,caribbean ,autonomous ,regions of ,nicaragua2 ,whereas1 on ,november #bg1 #bjah1 ,executive ,order ,no4 #achea was issued1 which blocks the property of certain persons contributing to the situation in ,nicaragua1 and its application was expanded on ,september #d1 #bjai2 ,whereas the ,departments of ,state and the ,treasury have imposed targeted sanctions on over #bj ,nicaraguan individuals and entities1 including ,first ,lady and ,vice ,president ,rosario ,murillo and ,daniel ,ortega's son1 ,laureano ,ortega1 as well as ,nicaragua's ,banco ,corporativo 7,bancorp72 ,whereas the bipartisan ,nicaraguan ,investment ,conditionality ,act 7,,nica ,act71 was signed into law on ,december #bj1 #bjah1 allowing the ,department of the ,treasury to sanction non-,united ,states persons implicated in egregious human rights abuses and corruption in ,nicaragua2 ,whereas1 in ,june #bjai1 ,canada imposed sanctions on #ab members of the ,nicaraguan ,government engaged in gross and systemic human rights violations2 ,whereas the ,ortega government has not complied with efforts of the commission appointed by the ,permanent ,council of the ,organization of ,american ,states seeking a peaceful resolution to the social and political crisis2 ,whereas1 on ,september #ae1 #bjai1 the ,ortega government denied entry into the country to an official ,organization of ,american ,states delegation mission2 and ,whereas1 beginning on ,november #ad1 #bjai1 ,nicaraguan police conducted attacks on churches throughout the country1 cut water to hunger strikers barricaded inside a church in ,masaya1 and arrested #ac people attempting to bring them water3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 calls on the ,nicaraguan ,government to immediately release all political prisoners without conditions and cease all acts of violence1 repression1 and intimidation against dissenting voices in ,nicaragua2 7#b7 condemns the ,nicaraguan ,government's continued failure to comply with agreements made with the ,organization of ,american ,states2 7#c7 urges the ,ortega government to respect ,nicaraguans' constitutional rights and implement electoral reforms including free1 fair1 multiparty elections open to international observers1 in compliance with the agreement reached through negotiations with the ,civic ,alliance for ,justice and ,democracy and the ,blue and ,white ,national ,unity 7,,unab7 in ,march #bjai2 7#d7 expresses full support for the people of ,nicaragua1 ,nicaraguan independent media1 and ,nicaraguan civil society organizations that are working for a peaceful return to democratic order in ,nicaragua2 7#e7 recognizes and supports efforts of the ,united ,states ,government to promote democracy in ,nicaragua and hold corrupt actors and human rights abusers in the ,nicaraguan ,government accountable for their actions2 7#f7 urges the ,united ,states ,government to continue to apply pressure on the ,ortega government and consider additional sanctions against those ,nicaraguan officials who have violated the human rights of their citizens or committed acts of significant corruption2 and 7#g7 urges the international community to hold the ,ortega government accountable for human rights abuses1 including attacks on religious freedom1 and restrict its access to foreign financing unless or until it allows for free1 fair1 and prompt elections monitored by credible international and local electoral observers4 ,clerk4