GENEVA/PANAMA - The UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua condemned, in the strongest terms, the death of prominent indigenous Miskito leader Brooklyn Rivera while in State custody, and expressed deep concern over reports that authorities took control of his remains, limited family participation in mourning and burial arrangements, and detained several relatives and supporters who sought to pay their respect.
"Under international law, Nicaragua must conduct an independent investigation into Brooklyn Rivera's death in custody, ensure a transparent forensic autopsy, return his remains to the family without delay, and guarantee accountability for his enforced disappearance and related violations. These non-derogable duties under international human rights law cannot be evaded," said Jan-Michael Simon, Chair of the Group of Experts.
"Failure to conduct an independent investigation and return the remains reinforces the strong presumption of State responsibility for Brooklyn Rivera's death in state custody, and shifts the burden of proof against Nicaragua," said Simon.
The Government statement dated 31 May affirmed that Rivera passed away due to COVID-19-related complications.
"Brooklyn Rivera did not die of illness. He died of enforced disappearance - of more than two years in State custody without contact with his family, without independent medical oversight, and without any accountability," said Reed Brody, an expert member of the Group. "The State had an obligation to protect his life and integrity. It did not."
At the time of his arrest on 23 September 2023, Brooklyn Rivera Bryan, then 71, was deputy of the National Assembly for the Indigenous political party YATAMA.
"Rivera's enforced disappearance while under State custody constitutes an international crime for which the Government of Nicaragua is legally responsible," said Ariela Peralta, expert member of the Group.
"When a disappeared person dies, the actions that led to this consequence may also constitute multiple crimes against humanity, including murder, torture and persecution, in addition to enforced disappearance itself, giving rise to individual criminal responsibility," said Peralta.
On 12 March 2026, the Group sent an unanswered letter to the Government demanding information on his fate and whereabouts.
According to the Group's investigation, the fate and whereabouts of nine other persons - among them two women - who were arbitrarily arrested are currently unknown.
"Once again, we urge the authorities to immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of these nine persons and allow the visits of their families and legal counsels," said Simon.
The Group of Experts has documented serious human rights violations against members of YATAMA, including the arbitrary detention and criminalization of Nancy Henríquez, Rivera's alternate, in a document published in September 2024 (in Spanish only).
The Group said that Rivera's death was the most visible consequence of a broader pattern of violations against indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples on Nicaragua's Caribbean Coast. The Government has penetrated and weakened indigenous self-governance structures, tolerated armed settler invasions that resulted in the killing of dozens of Indigenous people, and used arbitrary detention, torture and persecution against Indigenous leaders as deliberate political tools.
In the 2024 report, the Group documented 124 cases of arbitrary detention of indigenous leaders, defenders and rangers between 2018 and 2024, and at least 46 indigenous people killed in violent incidents during the same period.
"Brooklyn Rivera spent four decades defending the rights of his people," said Brody. "His death demands that the international community finally pay full attention to their situation."
