A group of UN human rights experts on Nicaragua revealed in a new report on Tuesday that the Nicaraguan government, led by President Daniel Ortega, has intensified repression of exiled critics abroad. The repression includes legal persecution, denial of passport renewals and other documents, transnational surveillance, and intimidation of family members.

Reed Brody, one of the experts on Nicaragua, highlighted the gravity of the situation by saying:

A climate of fear has spread through the Nicaraguan diaspora, as no place in the world seems safe for those who oppose Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. An invisible hand follows exiles everywhere—denying passports, threatening them and their families, cutting them off from their homeland.

The report found these actions to be a part of a consistent and deliberate policy by the Nicaraguan government to silence dissent, eradicate opposition voices abroad, and guarantee impunity for crimes committed inside Nicaragua. In light of this, the experts called this a serious violation of international human rights law, and in some cases, a crime against humanity.

The report highlights that at least 452 individuals were stripped of their Nicaraguan nationality between February 2023 and September 2024. Central to this is Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which prohibits the deprivation of nationality on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religion, or politics. The experts also documented physical violence against Nicaraguans in exile, such as the murder of retired army major Roberto Samcam in June 2025, cases solved in absentia and secret prosecutions, as well as the misuse of Interpol red notices. The Nicaraguan government has also previously expelled political prisoners and stripped them of their nationality. These experts find that these developments highlight ongoing concerns about Nicaragua’s governance and adherence to international human rights standards under its current leadership.

Ariela Peralta, also a member of the group of experts, stressed:

The resurgence of enforced disappearances is one of the most alarming developments we have seen since the Group began its mandate. When people are detained in secret, tortured, and, in some cases, die under state custody, state responsibility is incurred under international law. This points to a deliberate policy of terror that must be confronted with urgency.

The UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua recently also issued warnings about the deteriorating rule of law and human rights conditions in the country. In April, the expert group published a significant report identifying 54 Nicaraguan officials allegedly responsible for serious human rights violations. Notably, the authorities have also refused to disclose the whereabouts of dozens of detainees.