Nicaragua strips lawyers of certification in latest crackdown on dissent

Nicaragua's government, led by Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, has revoked the licenses of numerous lawyers to practice law. This action, which began recently, has been described by a United Nations expert as a "purge of the legal profession" aimed at undermining democratic checks and balances. Critics view this as another move in the government's ongoing crackdown on dissent, which intensified after the violent repression of mass protests in 2018. Since then, the government has imprisoned critics, stripped citizens of their nationality and possessions, and shut down thousands of non-governmental organizations. The exact number of affected lawyers is unclear, but it is believed to be in the hundreds or thousands, with revocations occurring without official notification.

Nicaragua's government has revoked the licenses of numerous lawyers, a move described by a UN expert as a "purge of the legal profession" aimed at dismantling democratic checks and balances. This action by President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo's administration follows years of crackdowns on dissent since 2018, which have included imprisoning opponents, journalists, and religious leaders, and shutting down thousands of organizations. Lawyers discovered their licenses were removed from the Supreme Court of Justice's registry without official notification, affecting potentially hundreds or thousands of legal professionals. Human rights lawyer Reed Brody stated this action continues a pattern of eliminating independent institutions, targeting anyone who might act as a buffer between the government and citizens. Exiled lawyer Juan Diego Barberena characterized the move as totalitarian control, enabling the dictatorship to dictate who can practice law.