A new report by the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua reveals that the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo is expanding its repression beyond national borders, targeting Nicaraguan citizens in exile. The report, presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, details how thousands of Nicaraguans who fled the country—many after the 2018 crackdown—have faced arbitrary deprivation of nationality, entry bans, denial of passports, confiscation of property, digital surveillance, threats, and harassment of relatives remaining in Nicaragua. Chair Jan-Michael Simon highlighted that the repression systematically dismantles exiles’ lives, eroding legal identity, causing economic collapse, fostering social isolation, and subjecting them to constant surveillance.
Between February 2023 and September 2024, 452 individuals were deprived of their nationality by court order, with many others stripped of citizenship without legal process. Many exiles are denied passport renewals or official documents, rendering them effectively stateless and unable to rebuild their lives abroad. The report also documents violent attacks on Nicaraguans in exile, including the June 2025 murder of retired army major Roberto Samcam in Costa Rica, a vocal critic of the government who had previously lost his nationality. While no direct link to Nicaraguan authorities has been established, the Experts noted this is at least the fourth such attack in recent years, contributing to a pervasive climate of fear among the diaspora.
The report further raises concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation inside Nicaragua. There has been a marked increase in mass arrests, prolonged incommunicado detention, and enforced disappearances. Two recent deaths occurred in custody under secret detention, highlighting the brutal conditions and lethal consequences of torture. Member Ariela Peralta emphasized that such actions represent state responsibility under international law, pointing to a deliberate policy of terror that demands urgent international attention.
The Experts also noted Nicaragua’s withdrawal from international organizations, including the UN Human Rights Council, as a strategy to evade scrutiny and consolidate impunity. They called on states to hold Nicaragua accountable before the International Court of Justice under the 1961 UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Additionally, the Group urged governments to strengthen protections for Nicaraguans in exile by facilitating asylum, refugee status, or naturalization, to ensure their safety and access to basic rights.
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