UN Experts Condemn Mass Revocation of Lawyer and Notary Credentials in Nicaragua

A United Nations panel of human rights experts has sharply criticized the government of Nicaragua following the mass revocation of professional credentials belonging to numerous defense lawyers and public notaries across the country, as reported by [JURIST](https://www.jurist.org/news/tag/irgc). The group warned that the sweeping administrative cancellations severely undermine the independence of the legal profession and leave citizens without effective representation. The United Nations Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, known as GHREN, stated that the action strips legal practitioners of their livelihoods while directly impairing the public's right to due process. Under international legal frameworks, individuals facing administrative or criminal proceedings are guaranteed access to counsel of their own choosing. The credential cancellations follow a series of earlier regulatory measures implemented by judicial authorities in Managua. These directives placed stricter reporting requirements on private attorneys and legal aid organizations, ultimately leading to license revocations for those representing civil society figures or critical voices. According to findings presented by the UN panel, the disbarments were carried out without formal hearings, standard appeals, or sufficient administrative recourse. Legal scholars and human rights advocates have observed that canceling licenses summarily deprives affected professionals of procedural protections established under Nicaraguan domestic law and international human rights treaties. The Group emphasized that an independent bar association and the unimpeded practice of law are vital components of any functioning judicial system. Depriving lawyers of their ability to practice before courts effectively creates a chilling effect throughout the legal profession, discouraging advocates from taking on sensitive or politically complex cases. International bodies, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, have previously expressed concern regarding judicial restructuring and the cancellation of civil associations in Nicaragua. Many of the lawyers whose credentials were removed had historically handled property, registry, constitutional, and fundamental rights matters. In response to foreign criticism over domestic legal administration, official statements from the Nicaraguan government have maintained that regulatory oversight of professional licensing falls strictly under national sovereignty. Authorities have stated that licensing audits are necessary to ensure regulatory compliance and uphold national legal standards. Despite the government position, international human rights monitors have stressed that state oversight must align with international standards on the role of lawyers. The UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers require governments to guarantee that practitioners can perform their duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment, or improper interference. The UN Group of Human Rights Experts reiterated its formal call for the reinstatement of the revoked licenses and urged authorities to respect the institutional separation of judicial functions. The experts warned that ongoing erosion of the rule of law will have long-term consequences for the integrity of civil administration and judicial stability in Central America.