CASE STUDY: Exiled Nicaraguan Human Rights Defenders in Costa Rica Executive Summary Introduction With a rise in violations of human rights and intimidation and persecution of opposition voices, Latin American human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) face enormous challenges operating in the region. Continued acts of repression by authoritarian regimes have forced many to flee from Venezuela and Nicaragua. Freedom House recognizes the gap between what support exists currently and the needs of this growing exiled community and seeks to promote programming that offers holistic protection, support, and services, tailored to the needs of defenders of human rights in their host countries. This case study focuses on Nicaraguan HRDs who fled the country after April 2018, when social activists and community leaders rose in protest against the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime. The regime met protests with swift retribution, including threats, intimidation, detention, and physical attacks. The regime’s repression compelled more than 100,000 Nicaraguans to flee to Costa Rica, Honduras, Spain, Panama, and the United States. Since the beginning of the writing of this case study (March 2021), the situation in Nicaragua has steadily deteriorated into an even more dangerous environment for HRDs.1 The Ortega-Murillo regime continues to solidify its authoritarian rule, banning demonstrations, disqualifying political parties, censoring independent media voices, and imprisoning opposition figures, including at least seven opposition candidates who were planning to run in the November 7 election.2 The laws adopted in the past two years specifically target HRDs and journalists, including the “foreign agent law” passed in late 2020 which requires any Nicaraguan citizen working for “governments, companies, foundations or foreign organizations” to register with the Interior Ministry, report monthly their income and spending and provide prior notice of what the foreign funds will be spent on. The law establishes sanctions for those who do not register.3 Also, the “cybercrime law” adopted in October 2020, which criminalizes the publication on social media of information deemed false or misleading by the government.4 In December 2020, the National Assembly approved a vaguely-worded law prohibiting “traitors to the homeland” from running for public office, further dimming the prospects for free and fair elections.5 In response, the United States and the European Union have sanctioned President Ortega, his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, and other key officials for their violations on human rights. The Organization of American States (OAS) issued a swift condemnation on June 15, supported by 26 member states, and raised the possibility of Articles 20-21 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter being applied, suspending Nicaragua from the Organization.6 After the results of the November so-called “sham elections,” due to the lack of fair and transparent conditions and a crackdown on all candidates, Ortega and Murillo claimed victory. The fifth term of the regime, will likely be marred by continuing attacks of HRDs. FreedomHouse.org 1