Nicaragua Imprisons 60 Opposition Figures, 23 Face Forced Disappearance: NGO

At least 60 opposition figures and government critics are currently imprisoned in Nicaragua, with 23 of them in a state of forced disappearance, according to a new report from the Association for Memory and Justice for Nicaragua (AMJ). The NGO's Mechanism for the Recognition of Political Prisoners documented 51 men and nine women held for political reasons as of July 31, 2026.

The report highlights that 15 of the detained individuals are elderly, and the 23 cases of forced disappearance represent a significant concern. The AMJ, which includes the Mechanism for the Recognition of Political Prisoners, Monitoreo Azul y Blanco, and the Legal Defense Unit, has documented a total of 1,506 politically motivated arrests over the past eight years.

The latest figures show an increase of 14 individuals compared to May's report. Six of these are family members of the late indigenous Miskito ex-deputy Brooklyn Rivera, who died in state custody. The other eight are delayed reports of arrests. The AMJ noted that the family members of Rivera were detained on May 31 while attempting to claim his body for burial.

These figures on political prisoners are reportedly validated by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH). The report also noted the re-inclusion of former Sandinista commander Bayardo Arce, 77, after his exclusion in the previous document. Nicaragua has been grappling with a severe political and social crisis since April 2018, which worsened following the controversial 2021 elections where President Daniel Ortega, in power since 2007, secured a fifth term.

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At least 60 opposition figures and critics of the government of Nicaragua, led by spouses and co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, remain imprisoned, including 23 who are in a condition of forced disappearance