What happened
In 2025 the Nicaraguan government revoked the legal status of at least 18 Christian organizations, including 15 Protestant groups and 3 Roman Catholic groups. The moves hit a range of institutions, from churches and faith based charities to religious schools and broadcast outlets. Once legal status was removed, some groups saw bank accounts frozen and property seized by authorities.
Schools and radio turned over to the state
One religiously affiliated school was told it would become a state institution after nine months of being allowed to operate. Instead the building was repurposed as a police station. A Protestant nonprofit had its headquarters cordoned off and informed that the attorney general now owned the premises and contents. These are not simple paperwork disputes. They are seizures that destroy community services.
Clergy and leaders under pressure
Religious leaders faced direct questioning about the content of sermons, prayers, and teaching. Reports document threats for speech deemed critical of the regime. A Roman Catholic priest visiting the United States found he could not board a flight home after being notified by the airline to take questions up with Nicaragua. Journalists and pastors who wrote about religious matters faced similar expulsions.
Citizenship stripped from dissenters
In some cases Nicaraguans who left the country were arbitrarily stripped of their citizenship. Losing citizenship while abroad is a severe punishment that prevents return and cuts ties to family, property, and legal protections. International groups are calling for citizenship to be restored to those affected.
International recommendations
Human rights observers urged the Nicaraguan government to reinstate legal status for civil society groups and unfreeze their bank accounts. They also called for the restoration of citizenship to those who were arbitrarily deprived of it. Those are basic steps toward rebuilding trust and protecting religious freedom.
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