Jubilee Campaign expresses gratitude for the comprehensive recommendations provided by the Group of Human Rights Experts in their report, highlighting the alarming human rights situation in Nicaragua. The Council’s attention is drawn to the egregious violations of freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief perpetrated by President Ortega, Vice President Murillo, and other authorities in Nicaragua.
Jubilee Campaign urgently calls upon the Human Rights Council to hold Nicaragua accountable and to exert sustained economic and political pressure on President Ortega and Vice President Murillo. The aim is to ensure the following key actions:
Cease Monitoring and Detention of Catholic Church Leaders:
End the practice of monitoring, sequestering, and detaining leaders and notable figures of the Catholic Church involved in providing essential humanitarian services to anti-government groups.
Allow Reentry of Foreign Missionaries and Priests:
Permit the reentry into and temporary residence within Nicaragua of foreign missionaries and priests who have historically traveled freely and engaged in work and service in the country.
Stop Public Denigration of Catholic Leaders:
Cease publicly denigrating and castigating the nation’s Catholic leaders and followers, recognizing that such remarks can be incendiary and indirectly encourage persecution.
Provide Non-Discriminatory Funding for Educational Institutions:
Provide universities and other educational institutions with funding in a non-discriminatory manner.
End Funding Withdrawal from Pro-Democracy Initiatives:
Cease the practice of withdrawing funding from Catholic universities and schools involved in pro-democracy initiatives or supporting individuals engaged in pro-democracy and anti-government activities.
Restore Operation Licenses of Catholic-Run Organizations:
Return the operation licenses of Catholic-run organizations, associations, and radio services.
Ensure Safe and Uninterrupted Religious Practices:
Permit safe and uninterrupted religious worship services, observations of holy days, pilgrimages, and memorial Masses.
Investigate and Prosecute Perpetrators of Attacks on Catholic Infrastructure:
Conduct thorough investigations and prosecute perpetrators of physical attacks on Catholic houses of worship and other infrastructure.
Jubilee Campaign remains committed to advocating for the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms in Nicaragua and urges the international community to join in addressing these pressing concerns.a