United Nations: Crimes against humanity likely committed in Nicaragua, says independent experts group

The Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua’s new report calls for the international community to impose sanctions on institutions or individuals involved in crimes against humanity in Nicaragua, put into practice by President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo.

Jan Simon, Chair of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, based on the investigations has concluded that “widespread and systematic human rights violations that amount to crimes against humanity - and are motivated by political reasons - have been committed against civilians by the Nicaraguan Government since 2018.”

The high authorities of the Government have implemented a legal framework aimed at repressing the exercise of fundamental freedoms and persecuting opposing persons, by different means: arbitrary detention as a tool to silence critics, use of force by police, physical and psychological violence at the hands of pro-government armed groups. The result of these continuing violations is Nicaraguans living in fear of the Government.

The report outlined that this terrifying campaign of rights violations “are not isolated incidents, but the product of the deliberate dismantling of democratic institutions and destruction of civic and democratic space,” that are reflected in the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment, torture, including sexual violence, deportation and persecution on political grounds.

The international community is called to respond through legal action against the individuals for the documented violations and extend sanctions to institutions involved in the crimes under international law.