UN Rights Chief Urges Nicaraguan Lawmakers to Reject Constitutional Reforms That Threaten Rule of Law

Volker Türk warns that proposed changes would undermine political pluralism, freedom of expression, and protections against torture, deepening Nicaragua’s human rights crisis.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has strongly urged Nicaraguan lawmakers to reject proposed constitutional reforms that he argues would further erode the rule of law and exacerbate the country’s already critical human rights situation.

“If adopted, these changes will sound the death knell for fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in Nicaragua, further weakening the already fragile checks and balances on the executive,” said Türk in a statement today.

The proposed reforms, sent to the Nicaraguan National Assembly this week by President Daniel Ortega, include provisions that would grant the presidency new powers to “coordinate” the legislature, judiciary, and electoral commission. Such changes would significantly consolidate executive control, undermining the independence of other branches of government.

One of the most concerning aspects of the proposed reforms is their potential to restrict freedoms of expression. The changes would allow for vague limitations on the right to free speech under the pretext of "wellbeing," threatening both public and private expressions of dissent. This follows a pattern of tightening controls on civil liberties in Nicaragua in recent years.

Another significant proposed amendment is the removal of explicit reference to political pluralism in the Constitution, replacing it with a vague reference to "social and cultural pluralism." According to Türk, this change sends a troubling signal as the country approaches the 2026 general elections. “The proposal to strip the Constitution of its commitment to political pluralism is a deeply chilling signal,” he said, warning that it could further suppress political diversity in the country.

Equally concerning is the proposal to delete the constitutional prohibition of torture, a measure that Türk described as a “retrograde step.” Torture is universally prohibited under international law, and the removal of this provision would eliminate a critical legal safeguard against abuses by the state.

The proposed constitutional changes also aim to expand the government’s ability to strip individuals of their citizenship, a power that has already been used to target political opponents and critics of the government. Since February 2023, at least 546 Nicaraguans have been stripped of their nationality, leaving many of them stateless. In addition to losing their citizenship, some of these individuals have had their assets—including property, bank accounts, and pensions—confiscated.

“I strongly urge lawmakers to reject the proposed amendments in full,” said the High Commissioner, calling on the Nicaraguan Government to abandon these troubling proposals. “These changes would undermine the fundamental human rights of the Nicaraguan people, and contribute to a further deterioration of the country’s already precarious human rights situation.”

Türk’s call for the rejection of these reforms comes amid a broader international outcry over the deteriorating human rights conditions in Nicaragua. The government has faced widespread condemnation for its crackdown on opposition, media, and civil society, with many critics—including former political leaders, journalists, and human rights defenders—having been targeted by arbitrary detention, exile, and other forms of repression.