Nicaragua’s government has revoked the registration of 1,500 non-profit organizations, marking the latest escalation in a years-long crackdown under President Daniel Ortega. The move, announced on August 19, 2024, impacts a wide array of groups, including hundreds of religious organizations, sports clubs, and advocacy groups for health, women’s rights, and LGBTQ rights.

According to a notice published in the government’s official gazette, La Gaceta, the organizations were accused of failing to report their financial statements for periods ranging from one to 35 years. Among those affected are over 400 Christian organizations, underscoring the government’s increasing control over religious institutions. This follows the recent cancellation of the Diocese of Matagalpa’s Caritas by the government, an action reportedly based on bureaucratic issues. The diocese is led by Bishop Rolando Alvarez, a vocal critic of Ortega, who now lives in exile after being convicted of conspiracy and treason.

The United Nations Human Rights Office has condemned the closures, with spokesperson Liz Throssell calling the move “deeply alarming” and highlighting the ongoing erosion of civic space and religious freedom in Nicaragua. Throssell also noted that since June 2022, more than 5,000 NGOs, media outlets, and private universities have had their legal statuses canceled by the Nicaraguan government.

Under Ortega’s authoritarian rule, Nicaragua has seen a dramatic shrinkage in civil liberties. The government has arrested numerous opposition leaders, journalists, and human rights activists under vague national security laws. The crackdown intensified after widespread anti-regime protests in 2018 were met with brutal force, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. In response to these actions, tens of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled the country.

The international community, including the United Nations, continues to express deep concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Nicaragua.