UN denounces new human rights violations in Nicaragua

In a new report, the UN Human Rights Office notes ‘undue restrictions’ on religious freedoms by Ortega's government, as well as arbitrary detentions, intimidation, ill-treatment in prisons and attacks on indigenous peoples.

By L'Osservatore Romano
The human rights situation in Nicaragua has "severely deteriorated," according to a report released yesterday in Geneva by the United Nations Human Rights Office.

The report highlights how conditions in the Central American country have worsened compared to last year, emphasizing the continued imposition of "undue restrictions" on religious freedoms. The UN also notes a surge in arbitrary detentions, intimidation of government critics, mistreatment in prisons, and assaults on indigenous communities.

The report points to an "intensified" persecution of government opponents or those perceived as "dissenting voices." It states that authorities are not only targeting individuals who express dissenting views but also any person or organization that operates independently or is not under direct government control. This crackdown has affected human rights defenders, independent media, NGOs, and any "entity that advocates for social or political change without government oversight".

According to the UN, at least 27 priests and seminarians were arbitrarily detained between October 2023 and January 2024. Additionally, 31 clerics were expelled from the country after being detained for varying lengths of time. Managua has also revoked the legal status of numerous religious organizations, part of a broader campaign against NGOs.

The UN Office in Geneva has raised new concerns over a recently approved reform of Nicaragua's Penal Code. The legislation, pushed through by President Daniel Ortega, allows the Nicaraguan government to prosecute individuals or organizations, including foreigners, for crimes committed outside the country against the state, its institutions, or public administration—covering cybercrimes as well. The UN, which released its report just before the reform's approval, warned that such broad laws could be used to exert additional pressure and intimidation.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for an "urgent change of path by the Government".

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