What changed

B100316/2026

European Parliament resolution on political prisoners in Nicaragua – the cases of Carlos Brenes, Salvadora del Socorro Martínez Aburto and Brooklyn Rivera

(2026/2765(RSP))

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Nicaragua,

– having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas since 2018, the Ortega-Murillo regime has dismantled democratic institutions and the rule of law, with constitutional reform abolishing political pluralism, while persecuting opponents, journalists, clergy, indigenous leaders, human-rights defenders and civil society;

A. whereas since 2018, the Nicaraguan regime has systematically, and arbitrarily persecuted human rights defenders (HRDs), opposition and religious representatives, among others; whereas over 5 600 NGOs have been dissolved, including indigenous and religious groups – mainly Catholic – and their assets confiscated;

B. whereas the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua concluded that violations since 2018 may constitute crimes against humanity; whereas civic space is effectively closed, with over 5 600 NGOs and 80 % of civil society organisations closed and hundreds of thousands forcibly exiled;

B. whereas imprisoned political opponents, along with HRDs, have been expelled from the country, stripped of their nationality and deprived of their political rights and some of them such as Brooklyn Rivera died under custody; whereas since 2018, 245 members of the clergy have been arbitrarily arrested or expelled, including Bishop Rolando Álvarez, Sakharov Prize finalist;

C. whereas human rights organisations document arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention and enforced disappearances; whereas since August 2025 the UN has registered three deaths in custody linked to inadequate conditions and medical care;

C. whereas in January 2025, the regime passed a constitutional reform that eliminates the separation of powers and political pluralism, reinforcing the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship in the country;

D. whereas Carlos Brenes, detained in 2018 for civic protest and tortured, and Salvadora Martínez, were detained again in August 2025, held incommunicado and sentenced without due process to 15 years for ‘treason’; whereas Brenes has diabetes and was denied medication;

D. Whereas systematic repression has triggered a migration and humanitarian crisis in the region; whereas the UN and the UNHCR place the Nicaraguan exile on the order of an estimated 935,000 departures between 2018 and June 2023; whereas migration is being weaponised by the Ortega-Murillo regime to destabilize the region;

E. whereas Brooklyn Rivera, Miskitu indigenous leader and president of the dissolved Yatama party, was detained in September 2023, forcibly disappeared for over 32 months and died in custody on 30 May 2026; whereas authorities refused to release his body and relatives seeking his remains were disappeared;

1. Strongly condemns and demand truth and accountability for the death of the indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera under custody of Ortega-Murillo regime; denounces the widespread, systemic human rights violations against its population, democratic opposition, students, civil society organisations and its persecution of religious leaders, primarily Catholic; urges the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained, notably Carlos Brenes Sánchez and his wife, Salvadora del Socorro Martínez Aburto;

1. Strongly condemns the Ortega-Murillo regime’s systematic repression, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, sham trials, exile, denationalisation, confiscation and crimes against humanity;

2. Stresses that the judicial system lacks independence from the executive branch; expresses concern about the manipulation of criminal law and the use of the justice system as a tool to criminalise the exercise of civil and political rights in the country;

2. Demands the immediate, unconditional release of Brenes, Martínez and all political prisoners, the annulment of politically motivated convictions, information on their fate and whereabouts, and immediate proof of life;

3. Calls on the Ortega-Murillo regime to reverse its constitutional reform and all repressive laws institutionalising totalitarianism, to fully respect its international human rights obligations;

3. Urges authorities to grant all detainees family and lawyer access, medical care and international monitoring, applying the Nelson Mandela Rules; calls for UN human rights mechanisms to regain access to detention centres;

4. Calls for the EU to halt the allocation of EU funds, including through multilateral and financial institutions to the Ortega-Murillo regime;

4. Calls for a prompt investigation into Brooklyn Rivera’s death, the return of his remains, the release of disappeared relatives and accountability;

5. Highlights the key role played by the Catholic Church and journalists in Nicaragua; calls for the EU to reinforce its regular dialogue with them, including those in exile, to support their vital work;

5. Condemns the persecution of Christian churches, indigenous peoples, civil society, opponents and their relatives; calls for the reinstatement of all arbitrarily dissolved organisations and respect for freedom of religion and belief;

6. Calls on the Member States, to open investigations into the Ortega-Murillo regime for crimes against humanity;

6. Calls for democratic actors and civil society in Nicaragua and in exile to be supported; calls for the EU to ensure that no EU or multilateral funds strengthen the regime and to expand targeted sanctions against perpetrators, including Daniel Ortega and his inner circle;

7. Reiterates its demand that the democratic clause of the EU Association Agreement with Nicaragua be triggered; rejects any prospect of holding any parliamentary dialogue with members of Nicaragua’s regime-controlled National Assembly;

7. Urges compliance with the IACtHR ruling; supports accountability, including through universal jurisdiction and International Criminal Court referral; recalls its position regarding Alessio Casimirri’s extradition;

8. Reiterates its call to the Council and the Commission to expand the list of targeted sanctioned individuals, and to widen the sanctions imposed on Daniel Ortega, Rosario Murillo, Lumberto Campbell and their inner circle;

8. Calls on the Council and the Commission to trigger the democratic clause and suspend application of the Association Agreement in respect of Nicaragua while repression persists; stresses that Parliament will not engage with regime representatives within the newly established Association Parliamentary Committee;

9. Calls for the immediate extradition of Alessio Casimirri to Italy;

9.10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the Member States, the UN, the Organization of American States and the Nicaraguan authorities.