Political Persecution of Nicaraguans Crosses Borders
and is “recurring,” says UN Human Rights Office
Entry bans and denial of consular services are part of the persecution targeting exiled Nicaraguans.
HAVANA TIMES – The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has warned that the persecution of political opponents of the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime “has become a recurring practice” that “may extend beyond the country’s borders.” As a result, Nicaraguans in exile are at “high risk to their lives and physical integrity.”
This harassment “is exacerbated by legislative changes that further shut down civic space and increase undue restrictions on political participation,” said Maarit Kohonen, Director of the OHCHR’s Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division, during an oral report on the country’s situation presented before the current session of the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, June 27, 2025.
Among the forms of persecution beyond Nicaragua’s borders, Kohonen cited bans preventing Nicaraguans from entering their own country and the denial of consular services for political reasons.
So far in 2025 alone, the OHCHR has documented 29 cases in which individuals were arbitrarily denied entry into their own country for political reasons.
“This practice, which we have been documenting since 2023, has resulted in the forced separation of families, including children, seriously affecting the right to family life and the rights of the child,” said Kohonen.
She added that “other individuals have been deprived of consular services, violating their rights to freedom of movement and education, among others, and putting them at risk of statelessness.”
Political Prisoners and Forced Disappearances
Meanwhile, within Nicaragua, arbitrary detentions “continue to be used as a tool of political repression, reinforcing a climate of fear to silence all critical voices,” Kohonen explained.
The OHCHR official reported that at least 54 people remain arbitrarily detained in Nicaragua, including 47 men and seven women. Among those detained are 10 Indigenous individuals.
“The actual number [of detainees] may be higher, as many families are afraid to report cases due to fear of retaliation. Our office has documented 13 cases of possible forced disappearance,” Kohonen stated.
She said conditions of detention remain alarming, with reports of torture and inadequate food. In addition, she noted that 15 of the 54 detainees are elderly individuals with urgent medical needs that are not being properly addressed.
“We reiterate our call to the Nicaraguan authorities to immediately release all persons arbitrarily detained, to end forced disappearances and torture, and to guarantee adherence to international standards on the humane treatment of detainees,” the official emphasized.
Persecution of Political Opponents
Since the last update to the Council in March 2025, the Nicaraguan regime has canceled the legal status of 18 nonprofit organizations, bringing the total number of arbitrarily dissolved organizations since 2018 to 5,535.
“This figure represents more than 80% of the organizations registered as of the end of 2017 and reflects a devastating dismantling of civic space in Nicaragua,” Kohonen stressed.
She also noted that the situation of the independent press “remains critical.” At least 178 journalists have gone into exile since 2018, while those who remain in the country face surveillance, threats, and censorship.
“The whereabouts of journalist Leo Cárcamo, arbitrarily detained in November 2024, are still unknown, which may constitute a case of enforced disappearance,” she added.
Similarly, “serious restrictions” continue to violate the right to religious freedom. Clergy and lay religious leaders continue to be subjected to threats, interrogations, and forced exile.
She also mentioned that in recent months, the National Assembly has passed new laws that deepen the concentration of power in the Presidency, further weaken democratic participation guarantees, limit the transparency of criminal proceedings, and undermine protections for the territories and self-governance of Indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples.