Nicaragua
Tuesday 5.7.2022 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Civil society outlawed in practice by Nicaragua’s authorities
Nicaragua’s authorities continue to use money laundering legislation, the Foreign Agents law and other restrictive laws to crack down on civil society, in an effort to dismantle civic participation spaces that are not controlled by the government. Read more | Read in Spanish
Thursday 10.3.2022 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Nicaragua: Sandinista hero and political prisoner Hugo Torres dies in police custody
Trials of political prisoners detained after May 2021 continued throughout February 2022. On 12th February 2022, authorities confirmed that former rebel leader and Sandinist dissident Hugo Torres, who was 73, had died in prison eight months after being detained on treason charges. Read more | Read in Spanish
Tuesday 8.2.2022 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Nicaragua: prosecution and conviction of several political prisoners
In January and February 2022, Nicaraguan authorities resumed the prosecution of political prisoners, holding “express” trials marred by procedural irregularities. Read more | Read in Spanish
Monday 24.1.2022 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Nicaragua: reports of torture and ill-treatment of political prisoners
Civil society group “Nicaragua Nunca Más” (“Never Again Nicaragua”) reported that there were at least 167 political prisoners under detention in Nicaragua in December 2021. Gonzalo Carrión, a spokesperson for the group, also said that they had information of 115 cases of torture or ill-treatment of political detainees in 2021. Read more | Read in Spanish
Thursday 2.12.2021 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Arbitrary detentions continue as Nicaragua announces decision to withdraw from OAS
After the Organisation of American States (OAS) adopted a resolution condemning Nicaragua’s elections on 12th November 2021, the country announced it would withdraw from the organisation. Read more | Read in Spanish
Wednesday 10.11.2021 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Daniel Ortega retains power in electoral process lacking legitimacy and human rights guarantees
On 7th November 2021, Nicaragua held presidential elections without independent international observers or human rights guarantees. Hours after the ballots closed, official media announced Daniel Ortega as the winner with preliminary results showing he had received about 75% of the vote. Read more
Wednesday 13.10.2021 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Nicaragua: persecution of civil society leaders continues unabated two months ahead of elections
On 9th September 2021, Nicaragua’s Public Prosecutor Office charged lawyer and human rights defender María Oviedo, presidential candidate Noel Vidaurre and campesino leader Pedro Mena with “conspiracy to undermine national integrity”. Oviedo was also charged under the country’s Cybercrime Law (No. 1042) with “dissemination of false news using information and communications technologies”. Read more | Read in Spanish
Thursday 9.9.2021 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Closure of 45 civil society organisations within one month in Nicaragua
As reported in the CIVICUS Monitor in previous updates, an unprecedented crackdown against civil society and political opposition has been ongoing in Nicaragua since the end of May 2021. Dozens of human rights defenders and members of the political opposition have been arrested on trumped-up charges. Business leaders, journalists and former allies of President Ortega have also been targeted. Read more | Read in Spanish
Thursday 24.6.2021 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Stunning crackdown on civil society and opposition continues in Nicaragua
As previously reported on the Monitor, an unprecedented crackdown on opposition groups and human rights defenders was carried out by Nicaragua’s authorities in early June 2021. The wave of arrests continued over the month, with more leaders arrested on trumped-up charges. Read more
Thursday 10.6.2021 Nicaragua - Latest Developments -
Nicaragua: Four presidential challengers arrested in crackdown on opposition
As previously reported on the CIVICUS Monitor, in May 2021 Nicaraguan authorities began an investigation into former staff members of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation, including its former director Cristiana Chamorro, over alleged financial irregularities. Read more | Read in Spanish
