CASE STUDY: EXILED NICARAGUAN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN COSTA RICA of expression, assembly, and association, often mounting parallel demonstrations in the same places where they were denied the permit. Notable demonstrations include women rights and feminist groups, demonstrations denouncing electoral fraud in 2008 municipal elections and 2011 national elections, the LGBTIQ+ march since 2008 and the major demonstration in 2013 organized by a campesino group against the construction of the interoceanic canal and against the exploitative extractive mining practices in Santo Domingo and León. The government’s approach has been to use civilian groups—usually government or municipal employees— against protesters, often backed by the police.10 320 assassinations, hundreds of arbitrary detentions, thousands injured and tens of thousands fleeing for safety in neighboring Costa Rica.11 CSOs have also been threatened by the Ortega-Murillo regime, particularly feminist and human rights groups, facing frequent acts of persecution. Measures against freedom of association including harassment of tax institutions, discretionary requirements of the Department for Registration and Control of Associations (DRCA), investigations and fines by the Institute of Nicaraguan Social Security (INSS), withholdings of donations or equipment by the General Directorate of Customs (DGA), delays in the delivery of certificates of compliance or letters of legality, cancellation of the frequencies of community radios owned by civil organizations and confiscations of equipment by telecommunications authorities (TELCOR). In recent years, some of the CSOs have been denied the annual Certification of Compliance despite having delivered all the requirements—the certification is required by banks for funding, particularly when requesting external funds. Since 2018, the opposition movement has continually been subject to violence and repression—characterized by harassment, attacks, threats, persecution of opponents, leaders, communicators and journalists, political prisoners, HRDs and activists. Throughout the year, arbitrary detentions of opposition figures continued for short periods, all for purposes of intimidation. As of July 13, 2021, there are still 136 political prisoners resulting from the April 2018 protests.13 Some have been charged while others are awaiting their trials, usually under sham charges such as drug trafficking and weapons possession. Journalists and independent media outlets have also suffered persecution, solidifying the government’s rejection of an independent media in the country. Some have reported being barred from official information sessions and press briefings, and face accusations and lawsuits, as well as barriers to access to inputs for production, such as paper or ink for newspapers. April 2018 protests The April 18, 2018, protests represented a watershed moment for the Ortega-Murillo regime and the Nicaraguan people. After a fire broke out in the Indio Maiz reserve, thousands of Nicaraguan citizens across different parts of the country protested the government’s mismanagement. Protests lasted for several months after the initial April protests and were harshly suppressed by the government. In less than a year, the government was responsible for 6 @FreedomHouse Under pressure and feeling threatened, the Ortega-Murillo prohibited any future protests and attacked independent media outlets, such as Radio Darío, whose headquarters was later attacked by a paramilitary pro-government group and set on fire with journalists still inside.12 Not soon after the protests, the Nicaragua government arbitrarily cancelled the legal status of nine CSOs, expelling them from their offices and taking over their property. Legal framework - Laws and reforms used to reinforce persecution and violence against the opposition Since the beginning of the crisis, the Ortega-Murillo regime, with assistance of the National Assembly, has approved several laws that are structured in enforcing repressive measures and government control, using different powers of the state. Most notably since April 2018, they have approved a series of laws that have solidified their control including: • Law 976, Law of the Financial Analysis Unit14 • Law 977, Law Against Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing and Financing the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and its regulations15 Both laws reconceptualize the notion of “terrorism,” a familiar tactic of authoritarian regimes, allowing for a broad interpretation of the concept to prosecute opposition voices. Under reforms to articles 394 and 395 on the Penal Code, the Nicaraguan government rejects the international conventions on the matter and does not comply with the guidelines established by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)16 for