Nicaragua religious persecution denounced to Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Civil society organizations have reported increasing repression of religious freedom in Nicaragua to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) during a session in Panama. Representatives from groups including the Center for Justice and International Law (Cejil) and the Nicaragua Nunca Más Human Rights Collective accused the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo of targeting religious leaders to prevent criticism of the regime.

According to the testimonies, the government is using several methods to suppress religious groups, including the revocation of legal status for religious entities, the confiscation of assets and infrastructure, the removal of tax exemptions, and attacks on churches. Advocates also reported arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances of religious leaders.

These actions are described as part of a broader pattern of absolute power concentration and the total closure of civic space in Nicaragua, which has seen heightened control over civil society since the 2018 protests.