Around 46 political prisoners are currently deprived of liberty in Nicaragua.
Justice & Anti-CorruptionNicaragua
- Error detected
- The claimed figure of 'around 46' significantly undercounts the number of political prisoners: available evidence from credible human rights sources places the figure at approximately 58 to over 60 as of early-to-mid 2026, a difference of at least 26%.
- Omissions
- The MEP did not cite any source for the figure of 'around 46,' making independent verification of its origin impossible.
- Different human rights organizations use different criteria to define 'political prisoner,' which can produce varying counts. The opposition had previously estimated numbers as high as 245 before mass releases.
- No primary official (government) source exists, as the Nicaraguan regime does not recognize or publish data on political prisoners. All available counts come from human rights NGOs and opposition groups.
- The most recent precise count found is from October 2025 (HRW: at least 77), with the January 2026 release of 19 prisoners then reducing the minimum. Exact mid-June 2026 data was not located in the available search results.
- Sources
- SecondaryHuman Rights Watch – World Report 2026: NicaraguaAs of October, a human rights organization reported that at least 77 remained behind bars as political prisoners.
- SecondaryReutersA human rights NGO that tracks political prisoners in Nicaragua identified 19 people released on Saturday.
- SecondaryBBC MundoEn Nicaragua, más de 60 personas siguen injustamente detenidas o desaparecidas, entre ellas pastores, trabajadores religiosos, enfermos y otros.