Nicaraguan govt to blame for at least eight deaths in custody

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, September 23, 2026

The United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts has attributed at least eight deaths in custody to the Nicaraguan government since its 2018 crackdown on dissent, citing failures in detainee treatment and lack of accountability. This highlights ongoing concerns over human rights violations under the Ortega-Murillo administration, particularly amid allegations of enforced disappearances and the suspicious death of Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera without an independent investigation.

The Nicaraguan government has been held responsible for at least eight deaths occurring in custody since its intensified crackdown on dissent began in 2018, according to a report by the United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua. This development marks the latest criticism of the administration of co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, whose government has been accused of undermining democratic institutions and repressing opposition following mass protests that erupted in 2018.

Jan-Michael Simon, the chair of the UN expert group, emphasized that a state employing enforced disappearances and allowing detainees to die while in custody fails to meet the minimum human rights standards expected of credible democratic governance.

The report notably highlights discrepancies surrounding the death of Brooklyn Rivera, an Indigenous Miskito leader who died in May after being imprisoned for 32 months with almost no family contact. The Nicaraguan government initially attributed Rivera’s death to complications from a prior Covid-19 infection, a cause not mentioned in earlier statements issued days before his passing.

Physicians for Human Rights conducted an independent evaluation, challenging the government’s explanation as medically inconsistent. Their findings indicated that the timing and nature of infections point to conditions likely acquired during detention or hospitalisation, rather than from community transmission.

Further scrutiny was limited by the absence of an independent investigation or autopsy, as no such procedures were authorized following Rivera’s death. The UN report underscores that the official narrative around the circumstances of his demise could not be independently verified.

The findings form part of broader concerns about Nicaragua’s handling of political prisoners and detainees amid ongoing repression of dissent. The government has faced repeated accusations from international observers concerning human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances and deaths in detention, raising questions about adherence to standards of due process and humane treatment under international law.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.