UN Experts Allege Nicaragua Leaders’ Crimes Against Humanity

A U.N. expert group said it found reasonable grounds to believe crimes against humanity have been committed in Nicaragua, alleging that co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo use arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, political persecution and denationalization to suppress opposition and entrench family rule. The group reported documenting 161 enforced disappearances since 2018, with at least 29 people still missing, and said the government was responsible for the deaths in custody of at least eight people held for political reasons. It also described a broader crackdown following the 2018 protests, including the imprisonment or exile of critics and the closure of thousands of organizations. Nicaragua’s government, which denies the allegations, rejected the Human Rights Council’s findings as interference and accused foreign powers of using human rights issues for political purposes.