IACHR grants precautionary measures in favor of 10 detainees in Nicaragua

October 29, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 74/2025 on October 27, 2025, to grant precautionary measures in favor of 10 individuals in Nicaragua in the belief that they face a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to their rights to life, personal integrity, and health.

According to the request for these precautionary measures, beneficiaries Álvaro Antonio Baltodano Cantarero, Álvaro Baltodano Monroy, Octavio Enrique Caldera, Marvin Antonio Campos Chavarría, Chester Jeramil Cortez Narváez, Yerri Gustavo Estrada Ruiz, Larry Javier Martínez Romero, Antonio Mercado López, Luis Francisco Ortiz Calero, and María José Rojas Arburola—all of them considered critics of Nicaragua’s current government—were arrested by State authorities over the period May–August 2025. Their fate, whereabouts, health condition, and conditions of detention are currently unknown. The State failed to provide information to the IACHR on this issue.

After assessing the legal and factual allegations, the IACHR noted that the beneficiaries’ loved ones have no contact with them and do not know their whereabouts or legal status. Considering that their families and others have failed to restore contact with the beneficiaries, the risks they face are made worse by lack of information about their current condition and location.

Given these circumstances, the IACHR considers that these 10 beneficiaries face a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to their rights. Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of Nicaragua to take the following action:

1. Adopt any measures necessary to establish the beneficiaries’ whereabouts and condition, in order to protect their rights to life, personal integrity, and health
2. Formally state whether the beneficiaries have been charged with any crimes and whether they have been taken before the judicial authorities of competent jurisdiction (otherwise, say why they are being detained without charges and/or without judicial review)
3. Provide the details of their arrests and conditions of detention, including their places of detention (in particular, enable regular contact with their families, trusted legal counsel, and consular authorities of any countries of which they may also be citizens)
4. Immediately conduct a comprehensive medical examination to assess the beneficiaries’ health condition and enable adequate medical care and treatment for those of them who have health issues, along with any medication they may require, and come to an agreement with the beneficiaries and their representatives concerning the measures that need to be taken
5. Report on any action taken to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent such events from happening again in the future

The fact that these precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State of Nicaragua do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the applicable instruments.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 218/25

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