The EU has urged Nicaragua to end what it called ongoing repression at home and abroad, warning of a deterioration in democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
The EU delivered at the UN Human Rights Council on 16 March 2026 was made during an interactive dialogue with the UN’s Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua — a panel mandated to investigate and report on alleged human rights violations, the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced.
The EU said it was “gravely concerned” about constitutional reforms that it said confirmed a concentration of power in the executive branch, and about the “closure of the civic space” in Nicaragua.
It declared repression was continuing “unabated”, including “transnational” acts affecting people outside the country, and cited the “arbitrary deprivation of nationality” as one of the measures being used.
The EU called for an immediate end to repression against “dissenting voices, civil society, journalists, religious institutions and the political opposition”, and said those responsible should be held accountable.
Political prisoners and international tools
The EU welcomed the release of several political prisoners in January, but said they remained under house arrest.
It called on the Nicaraguan authorities to release “immediately and unconditionally” all remaining political prisoners, end arbitrary detentions and house arrest, and clarify the fate and whereabouts of all detainees.
The EU also criticised what it described as the “abusive instrumentalisation” of international co-operation tools, including Interpol notices — requests circulated internationally to help locate or provisionally arrest someone.
It urged Nicaragua to resume co-operation with international human rights mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review — a process in which every UN member state’s human rights record is periodically examined.
The statement ended with a question to the head of the experts’ group, asking about the human rights consequences of Nicaragua’s decision to remove constitutional recognition of dual nationality for people in exile and those in the country.
