The United Nations has condemned legislative reforms in Nicaragua that allow the government of President Daniel Ortega to strip dissidents of their citizenship.
On Friday, the UN refugee agency said that a decision by a Nicaraguan court to revoke the citizenship of 94 exiled dissidents earlier this week is contrary to international law. “The recent legislative reforms in Nicaragua allowing for citizenship-stripping on arbitrary grounds run contrary to Nicaragua’s obligations under international and regional human rights law,” the agency said. “International law prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of nationality including on racial, ethnic, religious or political grounds.”
Ortega has been accused of jailing political opponents and critical voices, using the authority of the state to remove rivals and consolidate power. “There should be no persecution or reprisals against human rights defenders or individuals expressing critical views,” a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Thursday. “The right to nationality is a fundamental human right.”
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