In a new report released Friday, a three-person expert group appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council finds that authorities have committed physical and He was found to have committed psychological violence. .
Some of these cases could amount to torture, primarily involving students and professors who took part in large-scale anti-government protests in 2018, or who publicly criticized President Daniel Ortega’s government. Professors are involved.
Nicaraguan universities have long had a historic role as sites of social change and resistance, dating back to the 1979 Sandinista revolution, experts say.
As a result, “the Nicaraguan government has directly targeted universities as part of a broader campaign of repression, stripping them of their autonomy and turning them into centers of political control,” said Jan Simon, the group’s president. Ta. I am not a UN employee.
closure, expulsion
Between 2021 and 2024, at least 37 universities and higher education institutions, most of which are known for supporting social movements, were stripped of their legal status by administrative sanctions.
Experts stressed that these closures are part of a broader strategy to prevent organized opposition and limit academic freedom.
Furthermore, since the 2018 protests, hundreds of students and professors are estimated to have faced arbitrary expulsion or dismissal based on their political beliefs, due to government censorship and data restrictions. It is difficult to determine the specific percentage.
Government reform and university control
In 2022, the government introduced reforms through Law 1114, stripping universities of their autonomy and centralizing the management of academic institutions.
Experts stressed that the reforms effectively put the government in control of academic institutions’ finances, management, and curriculum, undermining independent thought and freedom.
The report also found that at universities that have not closed, students and professors deemed critical of the administration now face barriers to obtaining diplomas and transcripts. This limits educational advancement as well as future employment opportunities.
call for international action
The group of experts called on the international community to urge the Nicaraguan state to restore university autonomy and guarantee security and freedom of expression in the academic field.
“The academic community deserves a safe and free space to express ideas and contribute to the social development of the country, and these rights must be urgently restored. With these actions, “The government is putting the country’s future at risk,” Simon said.
