The United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua has issued a stark assessment of the political and human rights situation in Nicaragua, describing President Daniel Ortega’s regime as having transformed the country into an authoritarian state. The group’s recently released report calls for urgent global action to address serious human rights violations purportedly carried out under the leadership of President Ortega and his wife, Vice-President Rosario Murillo.
The report highlights various human rights violations committed as part of a broader strategy to exert absolute control over Nicaragua. It claims that the Nicaraguan government, under Ortega’s leadership, has given a fatal blow to the rule of law, effectively leaving all other branches of government under the unchecked power of the executive. The systematic use of an extensive intelligence apparatus to monitor the population and target dissidents has raised concerns about individual freedoms and privacy within the country.
The UN experts have recommended that the international community bolster support for Nicaragua’s civil society while pursuing accountability for such violations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). To this end, the UN urges for concerted international pressure to bring about change in Nicaragua, emphasizing that restoring democracy and the rule of law will require significant time and resources.
One chilling piece of evidence documented in the report pertains to arbitrary detentions and the revocation of nationality. The UN Group listed 193 known cases of arbitrary detentions, a practice that flagrantly violates Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Earlier in 2023, denunciations from the United States and the Organization of American States (OAS) revealed the Nicaraguan government’s revocation of citizenship for approximately 222 political prisoners. Such actions contravene international norms, specifically Articles 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
Skepticism towards President Ortega’s intentions had previously been raised by the UN in November 2024, concerning a proposed constitutional amendment that granted expansive powers to the presidency. Despite international disagreements, Nicaragua’s National Assembly ratified these controversial reforms in February 2025, consolidating the president’s control over all branches of the Nicaraguan state. For additional details, readers may refer to the full article on JURIST.