CASE STUDY: EXILED NICARAGUAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN COSTA RICA Protestors march in Granada, Nicaragua in May 2018 in response to the government’s repressive tactics used against human rights defenders and activists in April, 2018. (Image Credit: Riderfoot / Shutterstock.com) The Case of Nicaraguan Human Rights Defenders Understanding the historical context of Nicaragua and recent waves of migration since 2018, helps to put into perspective the case of Nicaraguan HRDs in Costa Rica. In this section, we will highlight trends, models, and patterns of approaches to defend and protect Nicaraguan HRDs and pro-democracy CSOs who have recently settled in Costa Rica. available about the profiles of Nicaraguan HRDs in Costa Rica, but through analysis, interviews, focus groups and a target survey of Nicaraguan HRDs in Costa Rica conducted as part of the case study, here are the most important characteristics we found: Initial Profile of Nicaraguan HRDs in Costa Rica Our study found that most of those Nicaraguans who were forced to leave for Costa Rica considered themselves to be HRDs. Most have been forced to leave after the April 2018 events, fearing repression and retaliation by the government. While there is no exact number or even an estimate, over the past 3 years several Nicaraguan HRDs have made their way into Costa Rica in self-exile. There is no public data 8 @FreedomHouse • Both men and women • Many are students who participated in the protests in 2018 and took over university campuses • Most were civil society members • Others belong to the Movimiento Campesino