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MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.N. human rights office on Tuesday called on the Nicaraguan government to conduct an impartial investigation into the death of renowned imprisoned Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera, adding to international condemnation of the case.The death of the 73-year-old Miskito leader was announced on Sunday by the Nicaraguan government, which reported that Rivera died from a bacterial infection after his health deteriorated following a bout of COVID-19.Rivera, whose opposition to the Sandinista government dates back to the 1970s, was imprisoned on Sept. 29, 2023, as part of a crackdown on dissent against the Sandinista government. His family denounced his imprisonment for political reasons and stated that the government had not filed formal charges.Last month, the administration of co-Presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo published a report on Rivera’s health, indicating that he was on a ventilator and suffering from multiple organ failure.
The Nicaraguan government said in January that it would release some prisoners, following pressure on its government in the wake of the U.S. military operation to capture Venezuela’s then-President Nicolás Maduro. But there has been little transparency from the government following the announcement.
