Miami (August 27, 2024) - The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today released a report on Nicaragua, prepared in collaboration with a group of regional and international organizations dedicated to press freedom and human rights. The report documents increasing violations of freedom of expression and press, as well as a rise in attacks against journalists, activists, media outlets, students, clergy, artists, and political opponents, among other actors.
The document reflects the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Nicaragua by the United Nations Human Rights Council and includes examples of the intensified attacks on independent journalism since 2018. These include persecution and criminalization, forced exile and revocation of citizenship for those exercising their right to freedom of expression, and the confiscation and closure of media outlets and civil society organizations.
The report also provides specific recommendations directed at the Nicaraguan authorities. "The State has refused to live up to prior commitments made in the UPR process and is failing to protect and guarantee these essential rights," the report states.