Nicaragua: IACHR condemns the deaths of two opposition figures deprived of liberty

September 26, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the deaths of Mauricio Alonso Petri and Carlos Cárdenas Zepeda, two elderly men who were arbitrarily detained for being identified as opponents of the regime in Nicaragua. The Commission urges the government to guarantee the life and integrity of persons deprived of liberty, release all those imprisoned for political reasons, and put an end to repression in the country.

On August 29, 2025, the IACHR learned of the death of Carlos Cárdenas Zepeda, 68, who had been detained on July 18 in alleged retaliation for his work as legal advisor to the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua (CEN) during the 2018 National Dialogue. Days earlier, on August 25, 2025, the death was reported of Mauricio Alonso Petri, 64, former president of the opposition Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) party, who had also been detained on July 18.

In both cases, their families had reported that they did not know their whereabouts or state of health, and that they only learned of their deaths when their bodies were handed over. Furthermore, they were not informed of the causes of death and were intimidated and threatened to prevent them from holding funeral services in accordance with their beliefs, being forced to bury them immediately.

The IACHR notes with concern that these events are occurring in a context of persistent arbitrary detentions and reports of short-term forced disappearances of individuals identified as opponents of the regime in Nicaragua. According to the information received, between July and August, the National Police intensified operations and carried out a series of arbitrary detentions in different departments of the country. These detentions are characterized by a lack of information on the whereabouts of those detained, judicial proceedings without due process guarantees, such as restrictions on access to legal defense, and the concealment of case files.

Furthermore, the serious conditions of detention widely documented by the Commission persist, some of which cross the threshold into torture, particularly affecting older persons and other vulnerable groups. These practices are intended to maintain a climate of fear and self-censorship among families, as well as to send an intimidating message to organizations in exile that denounce repression in the country.

According to information from the Mechanism for the Recognition of Political Prisoners, made up of civil society organizations, at least 63 people continue to be arbitrarily deprived of their liberty, of whom the whereabouts and health status of 33 are unknown, including 14 beneficiaries of precautionary measures granted by the IACHR and 12 beneficiaries of provisional measures granted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

The IACHR reiterates the Nicaraguan State's unavoidable legal duty as guarantor of the rights of persons deprived of liberty, to take concrete actions to guarantee their life and personal integrity, as well as to provide immediate and truthful information about their whereabouts and legal situation. It also recalls that the State has an obligation to investigate ex officio and with due diligence all deaths of persons in its custody, in order to clarify the circumstances and punish those responsible. The investigation of these deaths must take into account their situation as older persons deprived of liberty.

Finally, the Commission urges the State to release all persons who remain deprived of liberty for political reasons. It is imperative that measures be taken to verify their state of health and facilitate visits by their families and trusted legal counsel.

The IACHR is a principal and autonomous organ of the OAS, whose mandate derives from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote the observance and defense of human rights in the region and acts as an advisory body to the OAS on this matter. The IACHR is composed of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly in their personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 198/25

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