In a significant revelation, UN experts have for the first time named 54 officials, including military personnel, police officers, and magistrates, as responsible for serious human rights abuses in Nicaragua. The report from the Group of Experts on Human Rights outlines these offences, which include arbitrary detentions and torture, and highlights the roles of co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo in fostering systemic repression in the country.
Ortega, the 79-year-old former guerrilla leader, has held power since 2007, alongside his wife, Murillo. Critics accuse them of creating a ‘family dictatorship’ while brutally suppressing dissent since massive protests ignited in April 2018, which resulted in over 300 deaths, according to the UN. The report unveils a government system that weaponises state institutions against its citizens, emphasising a coordinated repression that spans from the presidency to local officials.
Following the protests, labelled by the government as a coup attempt backed by the US, countless Nicaraguans were forced into exile. Approximately 450 critics—encompassing politicians, journalists, and activists—were stripped of nationality and faced imprisonment under charges of treason. Authorities have shut down numerous media outlets and thousands of NGOs, signalling a deliberate state-wide policy of oppression rather than isolated incidents.
Expert Reed Brody described the report as a “roadmap for justice,” equipping international entities with necessary information to pursue accountability. The independent body called for prompt actions, including sanctions against the Nicaraguan government and enhanced support for victims and civil society. Since the enactment of constitutional reforms that eliminated governmental independence in February, Ortega and Murillo have consolidated their control over the state while furthering surveillance against the Church and press. Following the experts’ findings, Nicaragua withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council, intensifying concerns over its human rights practices.
UN experts identified 54 Nicaraguan officials responsible for severe human rights abuses, including arbitrary detentions and torture. The report highlights Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo’s roles in systematic repression. Following significant protests in 2018, many were exiled, and numerous media outlets were shut down. The experts consider their findings a ‘roadmap for justice’, urging international accountability measures.
In conclusion, the UN report highlights the alarming pattern of human rights abuses perpetrated by Nicaraguan officials, spearheaded by Ortega and Murillo. The systematic repression has left deep scars on the nation, prompting calls for justice and accountability from the international community. As Nicaragua retreats into isolation by withdrawing from the UN Human Rights Council, the need for urgent intervention and effective measures to protect human rights becomes ever more pressing.
Original Source: ticotimes.net
