A United Nations report has accused the Nicaraguan government of being responsible for at least eight deaths in custody since 2018. The report, issued by the U.N. Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, criticizes the government led by co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo for its suppression of dissent and erosion of democratic institutions, particularly following mass protests in 2018 and the recent cancellation of elections. The report highlights serious concerns about the treatment of individuals in custody, emphasizing a lack of transparency and accountability in several high-profile cases. One of the most scrutinized cases is that of Brooklyn Rivera, an Indigenous Miskito leader who died in May after being imprisoned for 32 months with minimal contact with his family. The government attributed his death to complications from a previous COVID-19 infection, but this explanation was not mentioned in earlier statements. An independent assessment by Physicians for Human Rights found the explanation "not medically coherent," suggesting the infection may have been contracted while Rivera was in custody or in the hospital. The report noted that no independent investigation or autopsy was conducted, making it impossible to verify the official account of his death. The U.N. experts urged the government to release Rivera’s body to his family for a burial according to Miskito traditions. Rosario Murillo, one of the country’s co-Presidents, stated that Rivera received medical care and family support throughout his illness. However, the government did not provide further comment on the report. The U.N. also detailed failures in the care of other individuals, including Ortega’s estranged brother Humberto Ortega, former Sandinista guerrilla fighter Hugo Torres, and lawyer Carlos Cárdenas Zepeda. The report noted that at least 161 people have disappeared since 2018, and it called on the government to disclose the whereabouts of 29 individuals still missing and to release those detained for political reasons. The findings underscore the U.N.’s concerns about the lack of due process and the risks faced by those in custody in Nicaragua.