UN Experts: Nicaraguan Government Responsible for at Least 8 Deaths in Custody

The Nicaraguan government is responsible for at least eight deaths in custody since it began a crackdown on dissent and democratic institutions in 2018, according to a United Nations report.

The report from the U.N. Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, released Tuesday, is the latest condemnation of the administration of co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, which has suppressed dissent following mass protests in 2018 and recently canceled elections.

"A State that resorts to enforced disappearance and allows persons to die in its custody falls short of the minimum human rights standards required for credible democratic governance," said Jan-Michael Simon, the group's chair.

The report highlighted inconsistencies in the government's explanation for the death of Indigenous Miskito leader Brooklyn Rivera, who died in May after 32 months of imprisonment with limited family contact. The official cause cited was complications from a previous COVID-19 infection, a detail not mentioned in prior statements. An independent assessment from Physicians for Human Rights concluded the explanation was "not medically coherent," suggesting the timing and pattern of infections pointed to acquisition in custody rather than in the community.

Without an independent investigation or autopsy, the report stated that the statements surrounding Rivera's death could not be independently verified. The authors urged the government to release Rivera's body to his family for burial according to Miskito traditions.

Rosario Murillo, a co-president, stated that Rivera received medical care and family support during his illness. The government did not respond to requests for further comment.

The experts also documented failures in care contributing to the deaths of former Sandinista guerrilla fighter Hugo Torres and lawyer Carlos Cárdenas Zepeda, as well as Ortega's estranged brother, Humberto Ortega. The report detailed the disappearance of at least 161 people since 2018 and called for the government to release information on 29 individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown. The experts also called for the release of anyone detained on political grounds.