Nicaragua: Türk Urges Lawmakers To Reject Proposed Constitutional Changes

GENEVA (22 NOVEMBER 2024) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today urged Nicaraguan lawmakers to reject proposed constitutional reforms that could further threaten the rule of law and deepen the country’s human rights crisis.

“If adopted, these changes will sound the death knell for fundamental freedoms and rule of law in Nicaragua, further eroding the already deeply fragile remaining checks and balances on the executive,” said Türk.

The proposals, which were sent to the National Assembly by the President this week, seek among others to give the presidency powers to “coordinate” the legislature, the judiciary, and the electoral commission. They also risk further restricting individuals’ enjoyment of the rights to freedom of expression in both public and private contexts, on vague grounds of “wellbeing”.

The proposals also eliminate the explicit reference to political pluralism in the Constitution, referring only to social and cultural pluralism. “The proposal to strip the Constitution of its commitment to political pluralism is a deeply chilling signal in the lead up to the 2026 general elections,” said the High Commissioner.

“Equally troubling is the proposal to delete the explicit constitutional prohibition of torture. Torture in any context is unlawful, and such a retrograde step to remove existing legal protection against it is profoundly alarming.”

The proposed changes also aim to further increase the Government’s powers to strip individuals of citizenship – already a widely used tool of arbitrary repression against government critics and dissidents. Since February 2023, at least 546 Nicaraguans have been formally stripped of their nationality – rendering many of them stateless. Some have also been stripped of their assets, including property, bank accounts and pensions.

“I strongly urge lawmakers to reject the proposed amendments in full, and call on the Government likewise to abandon further pursuit of such extremely troubling proposals,” said the UN Human Rights Chief.

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