Executive Summary
Under the leadership of President Daniel Ortega, his wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo, and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), and especially from November 2022 through January 2024 - the period covered by this report - the number and severity of violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in Nicaragua have continued to grow. Religious leaders who defend human rights or speak critically about the government face harassment, threats, and the possibility of physical violence and arbitrary detention. The government monitors religious activities, putting pressure on leaders to practice self-censorship. Preaching about unity or justice or praying for the general situation in the country, for example, can be considered criticism of the government and treated as a crime.
CSW recorded 310 separate FoRB cases during the period covered by this report (November 2022 through January 2024), compared with 156 cases reported in the period covered by our previous report (November 2021 through November 2022). Most cases involved multiple FoRB violations and some affected thousands of people. Members of religion or belief communities and religious leaders, including both Nicaraguan nationals and individuals holding foreign citizenship, have been forcibly exiled, forced to leave, or prevented from re-entering the country. Religious leaders and members of religion or belief communities were subjected to short- and long-term arbitrary detention. The total number of religious leaders in prison at any one time fluctuated due to the forced exile of numerous political prisoners. Political prisoners are not allowed to receive or have a Bible or other religious literature in prison in violation of the Nelson Mandela Rules.
The government forcibly shut down hundreds of independent civil society organisations (iCSOs), including religious institutions, arbitrarily stripping them of their legal status. The government froze the bank accounts of some groups and began to collect property tax from religious institutions and iCSOs of a religious nature or linked to a religious group or institution in contravention of domestic law exempting them from such taxes. In some cases, this led to the closure of the targeted institution, inability to pay staff, or was accompanied by the confiscation of property by the government or the forced exile of members.
In 2023 the government became more aggressive in its prohibitions on public manifestations of a religious nature including outdoor worship services and religious processions. Some religious groups, in particular those aligned with and supportive of the government, were exempt from this prohibition, with permits granted for large scale public events, and the government co-opted some religious festivals and traditions in an attempt to create an illusion of general respect for FoRB. The display of symbols considered to be religious such as crucifixes, crosses or the Star of David outside one’s home is prohibited. Banners alluding to peace, justice, unity or democracy are also not permitted. Pro-democracy activists, human rights defenders (HRDs), members of the political opposition, and others considered by the government to be critical of its policies reported harassment and warnings from government security agents to separate themselves from religion or belief communities and to refrain from participation in religious activities.