the forced dissolution of some 5,437 civil society organizations (CSOs) since 2018
Cases- Location of case in SG report
- 2025-082-001
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2025
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 12.865416
Longitude: -85.207229
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Nicaragua
- From Region
- UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
- UN Special Procedures: Country
- OHCHR: OHCHR - General
- OHCHR: OHCHR Field office
- Individual's/organization's activity
OHCHR and the Group of Human Rights experts on Nicaragua (GHREN) raised concerns about severe restrictions by the Nicaraguan government on civil society, the further erosion of civic space and the adoption of regressive constitutional and legislative reforms. Specifically, OHCHR and GHREN addressed the forced dissolution of some 5,437 civil society organizations (CSOs) since 2018, including approximately 1,939 since March 2024. According to GHREN, about 80% of the non-profit organizations registered in 2017 have since disappeared (A/HRC/58/26, para 68). Reportedly, during the period under review, 1,898 CSOs were forcibly dissolved. These developments have given rise to serious concerns that such restrictive measures and legislative developments further undermine the ability of civil society to operate effectively and to engage with the United Nations.
- Type of rights defended
- Unclear in SG Report
- Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
OHCHR and the Group of Human Rights experts on Nicaragua (GHREN) raised concerns about severe restrictions by the Nicaraguan government on civil society, the further erosion of civic space and the adoption of regressive constitutional and legislative reforms. Specifically, OHCHR and GHREN addressed the forced dissolution of some 5,437 civil society organizations (CSOs) since 2018, including approximately 1,939 since March 2024. According to GHREN, about 80% of the non-profit organizations registered in 2017 have since disappeared (A/HRC/58/26, para 68). Reportedly, during the period under review, 1,898 CSOs were forcibly dissolved. These developments have given rise to serious concerns that such restrictive measures and legislative developments further undermine the ability of civil society to operate effectively and to engage with the United Nations.
- Engagement with UN body
- Unclear
- Type of attempted engagement
- Unclear
- Location of mentioned reprisals
- Nicaragua
- Reprisal information
OHCHR and the Group of Human Rights experts on Nicaragua (GHREN) raised concerns about severe restrictions by the Nicaraguan government on civil society, the further erosion of civic space and the adoption of regressive constitutional and legislative reforms. Specifically, OHCHR and GHREN addressed the forced dissolution of some 5,437 civil society organizations (CSOs) since 2018, including approximately 1,939 since March 2024. According to GHREN, about 80% of the non-profit organizations registered in 2017 have since disappeared (A/HRC/58/26, para 68). Reportedly, during the period under review, 1,898 CSOs were forcibly dissolved. These developments have given rise to serious concerns that such restrictive measures and legislative developments further undermine the ability of civil society to operate effectively and to engage with the United Nations.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Administrative reprisal
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- State actors
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- Yes
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- Yes
- Further case development
Furthermore, the National Assembly adopted legislative amendments, requiring all CSOs to operate exclusively through formal “partnership alliances” with state institutions, and to submit their programs and projects to the General Directorate of Registration and Control of CSOs. These measures have reportedly reinforced state control over civil society’s project implementation and undermined their independence. 84. On 27 February 2025, the Government announced its disengagement from the Human Rights Council and all its subsidiary mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review. In February 2025, it also withdrew from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the ILO, and the International Organization of Migration (IOM) and ordered the closure of FAO offices in Managua. These actions have significantly reduced the ability of the Nicaraguan people to collaborate with the United Nations system, both within the country and abroad. 85. Recent amendments to the Penal Code and cybercrime legislation, which may broaden the criminalization of dissent, and include provisions targeting publications abroad and online, have reportedly contributed to an increasing climate of fear and retaliation. These developments have discouraged individuals and organizations from sharing information that could be perceived as critical of the government—whether publicly or with relevant stakeholders, including the United Nations.
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- Yes