Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to international bodies since 2018 in relation to the human rights situation in Nicaragua; and what sanctions they have imposed upon those most responsible for human rights violations in Nicaragua since 2018.

The suppression of human rights in Nicaragua has been relentless. The UK will continue to call, in bilateral and multilateral settings, for the Nicaraguan government to respect democracy and human rights. On 29 February, the UK made a statement at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue in response to the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua's latest report. In our statement we urged President Ortega to fully respect the human rights of all its citizens. The UK also co-sponsored the side event 'Attacks on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua' on 7 March. Since 2020 the UK has designated 14 Nicaraguan politicians and senior officials including Vice President Murillo, two Directors General of the National Police and the President of the National Assembly under our Nicaragua sanctions regime for violating human rights, repressing civil society and undermining democratic principles and institutions.