A report on human rights and non secular freedom in Nicaragua warns that conditions within the central American state are continuing to deteriorate.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), which authored the report, said it had recorded 222 cases of spiritual freedom violations in 2024, impacting 1000’s of individuals.
The most prevalent issue raised was police control and oversight of spiritual activities within the country.
The National Police have placed a ban on traditional public marches, celebrated by each Catholics and Protestants, that mark the interpretation of the Bible into Spanish.
There have been cases of services and other religious events being arbitrarily cancelled by the authorities.
Last 12 months also saw the event of increased oversight over religious leaders by the police.
As a “precautionary measure”, religious leaders are assigned a dedicated police officer that they need to report back to every week. They are required to have their photo taken and supply their weekly plan of activities to the officer.
Even those that comply with these requirements are sometimes subject to extra measures, akin to restrictions on where they’ll travel. Many have been warned that they may face arrest or exile in the event that they fail to comply with the regime.
The CSW report specifically raises various concerning individual cases.
Protestant Pastor Efrén Antonio Vílchez López is currently serving a 23-year sentence on “trumped up charges” and is suffering severe health problems as a result of his diabetes not being treated properly.
Also mentioned were Catholic lay leaders Carmen María Sáenz Martínez and Lesbia del Socorro Gutiérrez Poveda, who were arrested in August. They have been in custody for over six months, with no communications with the surface permitted and no proof of life given by the authorities.
Anna Lee Stangl, Director of Advocacy at CSW, said, “Co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, and the Sandinista National Liberation Front, remain set on the eradication of independent civil society and anyone the regime perceives as a critic in Nicaragua.
“Given that the federal government stays unresponsive to communications from the Organization of American States and the United Nations, members of the international community must seek creative ways to support and strengthen independent Nicaraguan voices each contained in the country and in exile.
“We thank all those that proceed to bravely rise up for human rights and freedom of faith or belief in Nicaragua, and reiterate our continued solidarity with all those working for justice, freedom and democracy within the country.”
