The International Bar Association’s Institute of Human Rights (IBAHRI) condemns Nicaragua’s mass revocation of lawyers’ and notaries’ licenses as a violation of independence safeguards and a denial of independent legal representation.

Background notes describe a broader crackdown since 2018, with suppression of civil society, universities, and opposition, and structural changes concentrating power in the presidency.

The measure affects a wide range of practitioners, including critics of the Ortega–Murillo government, with some clients notified that state-appointed ex officio lawyers will represent them.

This action is part of a wider pattern of eroding access to justice in Nicaragua, tied to restructuring of state institutions and intensified executive dominance, reinforced by President Ortega’s July 2026 statement that no further elections will be held.

The UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua warns of a 'silent purge' and erosion of the rule of law, highlighting threats to the right to legal defense.

Consequences include threats to livelihoods for affected lawyers, and a vacuum of accountability that weakens the public’s ability to challenge state actions in court.

About 2,000 legal professionals inside Nicaragua and in exile have had their licenses suspended without notice or stated grounds, with removals visible in court registries and the Supreme Court system.

IBAHRI says the action breaches UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, representing political control rather than legitimate regulatory discipline due process and independent review.

IBAHRI calls for immediate reinstatement of licenses unless due process is observed, with fair hearings, independent review, and protection of judicial independence and access to legal representation.