Nicaragua: at least 60 opponents detained, 23 in forced disappearance

There are at least 60 opponents and critics of the Nicaraguan government currently detained, including 23 in conditions of forced disappearance, according to the Association of Memory and Justice for Nicaragua (Amj). The data is endorsed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (ICHD). As of July 31, the monitoring group had documented 51 men and nine women deprived of liberty for political reasons. Among them, 15 are elderly and 23 are missing.

The figure is up by 14 people since the last report in May, although not all arrests are recent.

Six of the new cases concern family members of former Miskito indigenous congressman Brooklyn Rivera, who died in state custody on May 30. The six were arrested on May 31 in Managua while trying to recover the leader's body for burial. In the last eight years, the organizations united in the AMJ have documented 1,506 arrests for political reasons.