Nicaragua Targets Lawyers in Escalating Repression of Dissent

WHO:

ABC News - The government of Nicaragua is led by copresidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.

AP News - Reed Brody is an American human rights lawyer and member of a U.N. panel of experts on Nicaragua.

AP News - Juan Diego Barberena is a lawyer and human rights defender exiled in Costa Rica since 2022.

WHAT:

ABC News - Nicaragua's government has stripped many lawyers of their licenses to practice, described as a “purge of the legal profession.”

AP News - The government has shut down more than 5,000 organizations since 2018, including religious groups, local rotary clubs, and scouting organizations.

AP News - At least 20 lawyers have been affected by the license revocation, with Barberena knowing of at least 25 more colleagues similarly impacted.

ABC News - Lawyers found their licenses removed from the Supreme Court of Justice’s registry without explanation.

WHERE:

ABC News - The actions are taking place in Nicaragua, specifically involving the Supreme Court of Justice.

AP News - Juan Diego Barberena is currently exiled in Costa Rica.

WHEN:

ABC News - The license revocations occurred in recent days.

AP News - Barberena attempted to access his legal accreditation on a Thursday.

WHY:

ABC News - The crackdown is aimed at eroding the country’s democratic checks and balances.

AP News - Brody stated that the actions follow a pattern of closing NGOs, universities, and independent media, targeting anyone who might stand between the government and citizens.

AP News - Barberena described the actions as a means of exercising totalitarian control over the legal profession.

HOW:

ABC News - The government did not provide official notification regarding the license revocations.

AP News - Lawyers found their names and license numbers wiped clean from the government’s database.

(UPDATED July 11, 2026 05:53 UTC)

Nicaragua's government, led by copresidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, has recently stripped many lawyers of their licenses in what has been described as a “purge of the legal profession.” This crackdown has affected at least 20 lawyers, with exiled human rights defender Juan Diego Barberena reporting that he knows of at least 25 more colleagues who have faced similar license revocations, all occurring without official notification or explanation. The government's actions, which include shutting down over 5,000 organizations since 2018, are seen as part of a broader strategy to undermine democratic checks and balances and exert totalitarian control over the legal profession.