Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nicaragua about its banning civil society organisations, including non-government organisations, and churches and religious organisations.

We share widespread international concern about the suppression of democratic, religious and other freedoms in Nicaragua. The closure of over 5000 non-government organisations (NGOs) since 2018, including approximately 1820 NGOs in August 2024 alone, is alarming. We have urged the Ortega regime to re-establish democratic freedoms, both at multilateral fora and in Managua. On 10 September, we released a statement during the Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Nicaragua outlining our concern about the closure of civil society organisations, and the targeting of members of the Church. We welcomed the release of seven priests in August but were alarmed by their expulsion from Nicaragua.