Repression by the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua, targeting human rights defenders, political opponents and religious communities in particular

In this non-legislative resolution, Parliament strongly condemns systemic human rights violations by the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua against the population, democratic opposition, students, civil society organisations, and religious leaders, primarily Catholic, and notes the dissolution of over 5,600 NGOs. It urges the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained, the restoration of the rule of law and the legal status of organisations, and calls on the regime to reverse its January 2025 constitutional reform and repressive laws. Parliament calls for the EU to include human rights guarantees when allocating funds so they do not strengthen the regime, calls on Member States to open International Criminal Court investigations for crimes against humanity, and reiterates its demand that the democratic clause of the EU Association Agreement be triggered. It also reiterates calls to expand the list of sanctioned individuals to include Ortega, Rosario Murillo and their inner circle, calls for the extradition of Alessio Casimirri to Italy, and instructs its President to forward the resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the Member States and the Nicaraguan authorities.