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RIDHE participated in an exchange of views on human rights violations in Nicaragua, organized by the Subcommission on Human Rights (DROI) in collaboration with the Delegation for Relations with Central American Countries (DCAM), within the framework of a session of the European Parliament.
We denounce the continuous deterioration of civic space in Nicaragua, characterized by the proliferation of repressive laws, the limitation of academic freedom and the expulsion of citizens and representatives of the Church.
In her speech, Elektra Lagos warned about the serious human rights crisis in Nicaragua, marked by the concentration of power in the presidential couple and the annulment of the independence of State powers. The recent constitutional reform consolidates a repressive framework, legalizing the criminalization of dissent, the mass closure of NGOs and universities, and the transnational persecution of human rights defenders in exile.
The human rights situation in Nicaragua is marked by a systematic violation of fundamental rights, perpetrated by state authorities and consolidated through legal and constitutional reforms that reinforce a repressive framework. The recently adopted amendments to the Political Constitution have institutionalized mechanisms that favor the concentration of power in the presidential couple, annulling the independence of State powers and eliminating any guarantee of protection for victims of abuse. These reforms have legalized authoritarian measures, including the criminalization of dissent, the elimination of the legal personality of non-governmental organizations, and the massive closure of universities, which has severely restricted civic and academic space in the country.
State repression has also manifested itself in acts of transnational persecution, extending harassment to human rights defenders and leaders in exile. Events that are now being consolidated through new legislative reforms in Nicaragua and that consolidate de facto statelessness, exile and other violations of the right to legal personality. In this context, restrictions on access to justice and the absence of political will to ensure accountability have perpetuated a climate of impunity. On November 22, 2024, the “partial reform” of Nicaragua's Political Constitution was approved, amending more than 100 articles of its Magna Carta. This is the 12th constitutional reform proposed by Daniel Ortega since he came to power. One of the most alarming elements of the reform is the concentration of power in the figure of the “Co-presidency” who is given the role of “coordinating” the legislative, judicial and electoral “organs” of the State, which it does not consider to be independent powers, in addition to other entities. The Co-Presidency will have absolute control of the Army and one more year of presidential term, for a total of 6 years.
We warn that ensuring impunity for human rights violations is a key element in these reforms. The new text eliminates the right not to be tortured, encouraging the continued commission of such a crime. They also institutionalize “voluntary police”.
The closure of civic and academic space is one of the clearest manifestations of this crisis. As of January 2025, more than 5,600 non-governmental organizations have been shut down, seriously affecting the work of civil society. This represents approximately 80% of the NGOs operating in the country in 2018. Simultaneously, at least 58 media outlets have been shut down, while 263 journalists have been forced into exile since 2018 due to threats, harassment and arbitrary arrests.
State repression has also manifested itself in acts of transnational persecution, extending harassment to human rights defenders and leaders in exile. The reform reinforces a series of legislative changes in the criminal and migratory spheres, with which Nicaraguan authorities seek to extend repression both inside and outside Nicaragua. Among others, the amendments specify de facto statelessness, exile and cross-border repression.
A particularly worrying practice has been the deprivation of nationality, which since February 2023 has affected more than 450 people, including political prisoners and opponents of the regime. This action, in addition to violating international law, has left many people stateless, depriving them of fundamental rights and legal remedies.
The humanitarian crisis is also reflected in the mass exodus of Nicaraguans. Since 2018, more than 588,000 people have applied for asylum in different countries, with Costa Rica receiving approximately 192,000 requests. However, recent restrictive migration measures in the United States have limited options for those seeking refuge, exacerbating the situation of vulnerability.
In the area of justice, the UN Group of Experts on Human Rights has concluded that Nicaraguan authorities have committed systematic violations that constitute crimes against humanity, including murder, torture and political persecution. Despite these findings, no international monitoring body has been able to enter the country since 2018, underlining the urgency of renewing and strengthening the mandates of these mechanisms.
Finally, although several countries and agencies have implemented sanctions against the regime, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) has continued to finance projects in Nicaragua, including police infrastructure. This raises serious concerns about the role of this institution in perpetuating the crisis.
From the European International Human Rights Network and based on the exhaustive documentation of fundamental rights violations in Nicaragua, we urgently call on the international community, and in particular the European Parliament, to keep an active surveillance of the serious situation in the country and to strengthen its support for human rights defenders, as well as for organizations and social movements that fight for justice and democracy. We ask to assess the activation of the diplomatic mechanisms necessary to influence the prompt return to democratic order and to ensure that commercial and financial relations with Nicaragua are conditioned on strict compliance with its obligations in the area of human rights and access to justice, in accordance with international standards.
From the European International Human Rights Network (RIDHE), we reaffirm our commitment to collaborate with international human rights organizations in documenting violations of the fundamental rights of the Nicaraguan population, both inside and outside the country. We urge these bodies to comprehensively address, with an intersectional approach, the continuity of these violations, making visible the most vulnerable populations.
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