Nicaraguan government responsible for at least 8 deaths in custody since 2018, U.N. report finds
The Hindu – International
You are logged in
Loading…
You don’t have any Active Subscription.
Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one.
Your active subscription(s)
Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials,
Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription
Products you’ve access to
Additional Subscription Benefits
Account Settings
Need help with your subscription?
Weather News September 22, 2026 e-Paper
The View From India
Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.
First Day First Show
News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.
Today's Cache
Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.
Science For All
The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in!
Data Point
Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers
THEdge
At the cutting edge of education and careers
Health Matters
Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there
Gender Agenda
Stories from beyond the binary.
The Hindu On Books
Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.
Weather News September 22, 2026 e-Paper
Published – September 22, 2026 10:20 pm IST – MEXICO CITY
The Nicaraguan government is responsible for at least eight deaths in custody since 2018 when it began a major crackdown on dissent and a dismantling of democratic institutions, U.N. experts said on Tuesday (September 22, 2026).
The report from the U.N. Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua was the latest condemnation of the government of co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, which has crushed dissent since 2018 mass protests 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 detailed inconsistencies in the government’s account of the in-custody death of Indigenous Miskito leader Brooklyn Rivera, who was imprisoned for 32 months with almost no contact with his family before he died in May.
The official statement after his death linked it to complications following a previous COVID-19 infection, which previous statements in the days before never mentioned. An independent assessment from Physicians for Human Rights said the explanation was “not medically coherent.”
Its assessment also found that the “timing of the illness and the pattern of organisms identified both point to the infections having been acquired in custody or in hospital, rather than in the community.”
The statements around his death could not be independently verified because no independent investigation or autopsy was ordered, the report said. Its authors called on the government to release Rivera’s body to his family for a burial under Miskito traditions.
Ms. Murillo said Rivera received medical care and family support throughout his illness.
Following a request for comment on the allegations, Nicaragua’s government sent an email statement declining to respond and saying only “thanks for your interest.”
The report also detailed the failures of care in the deaths of Ortega’s estranged brother Humberto Ortega, former Sandinista guerrilla fighter Hugo Torres and lawyer Carlos Cárdenas Zepeda.
The experts documented the disappearance of at least 161 people since 2018. It called on the government to release information on 29 people whose whereabouts remain unknown and to release anyone detained on political grounds.
Published – September 22, 2026 10:20 pm IST
Copyright© 2026, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
BACK TO TOP
Terms & conditions | Institutional Subscriber
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.
Fonte: The Hindu – International
