Full Breakdown
Nicaragua Erases Lawyers' Licenses in Broad Crackdown
7/11/2026, 6:03:34 AM
Recent Revocation of Legal Certifications
In early July 2026, the Supreme Court of Justice’s registry removed the licenses of hundreds to possibly thousands of Nicaraguan lawyers without notice. No government comment was given. Reed Brody, a U.S. human-rights lawyer on a UN panel, said the scope could be “hundreds, if not thousands,” and that he personally knew at least 20 affected lawyers. Exiled attorney Juan Diego Barberena said he was aware of 25 more colleagues.
Background of the Ortega-Murillo Regime
Since the violent repression of 2018 mass protests, President Daniel Ortega and Vice-President Rosario Murillo have imprisoned opponents, shut down more than 5,000 nongovernmental organisations—including religious groups, rotary clubs and scouting organisations—and stripped hundreds of Nicaraguans of citizenship and property, rendering many stateless.
Official and International Reactions
A United Nations expert called the action a “purge of the legal profession.” Reed Brody noted that the pattern targets any potential check on the government. The Nicaraguan authorities did not respond to requests for comment.
Criticism and Opposition
Critics argue the move is an arbitrary punishment of dissent and a pre-emptive strike to prevent lawyers, experts and academics from influencing future institutions. Barberena highlighted that some erased were simply Nicaraguans living abroad, others practiced criminal or family law without political involvement, and a few were known government sympathizers.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This follows the pattern that we’ve been seeing for years. First, they closed the NGOs, the universities, the independent media. You know, they’ve gone after the churches, and now it seems the legal profession,” — Reed Brody, Human-rights lawyer, UN panel member
- “This is a means of exercising totalitarian control over the legal profession,” — Juan Diego Barberena, Exiled lawyer and human-rights defender
- “This means that the dictatorship can decide who gets to practise and who doesn’t.” — Juan Diego Barberena
- “On one hand, it's an arbitrary measure to punish political dissent,” — Juan Diego Barberena
- “purge of the legal profession” — United Nations expert
