Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Date of Detainment: October/7/2023
Date of Release: October/18/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Yesner Cipriano Pineda Meneses
Extra Bio Info:
Yesner Cipriano Pineda Meneses was detained for his religious belief, religious activity, and religious leadership role.
On October 7, 2023, Nicaraguan authorities arrested Yesner Cipriano Pineda Meneses, a priest at the Nuestra Señora de Lourdes church in Ocotal, along with Salvador Paguaga and María Asunción Salgado. Meneses' arrest comes amidst a government crackdown on the Catholic Church.
On October 18, 2023, Meneses was released from prison and exiled to the Vatican.
Related cases: María Asunción Salgado, Salvador Paguaga
Sources:
- USCIRF Press Release: USCIRF Condemns Nicaragua's Expulsion of Arbitrarily Detained Priests October 25, 2023
- "Eight priests under house arrest in Nicaragua reportedly transferred to El Chipote prison" Catholic News Agency (CNA)
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: October/8/2023
Date of Release: October/18/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Ramón Esteban Angulo Reyes
Extra Bio Info:
Ramón Esteban Angulo Reyes is detained for his religious belief, religious activity, and religious leadership role.
On October 8, 2023, Nicaraguan authorities arrested Ramón Esteban Angulo Reyes, a priest at the Nuestra Señora de Fátima church in Wapy. Reyes' arrest comes amidst a government crackdown on the Catholic Church.
On October 18, 2023, Reyes was released from prison and exiled to the Vatican.
Sources:
- USCIRF Press Release: USCIRF Condemns Nicaragua's Expulsion of Arbitrarily Detained Priests October 25, 2023
- "Eight priests under house arrest in Nicaragua reportedly transferred to El Chipote prison" Catholic News Agency (CNA)
Additional Name(s): Álvaro José Toledo Amador
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: October/5/2023
Date of Release: October/18/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Álvaro Toledo
Extra Bio Info:
Álvaro Toledo is detained for his religious belief, religious activity, and religious leadership role.
On October 5, 2023, Nicaraguan authorities arrested Álvaro Toledo, a priest at the Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Ocotal. Toledo's arrest comes amidst a widespread government crackdown on the Catholic Church. Prior to his arrest, Toledo had spoken out about the government's wrongful imprisonment of priests from the Dioceses of Estelí.
On October 18, 2023, Toledo was released from prison and exiled to the Vatican.
Sources:
- USCIRF Press Release: USCIRF Condemns Nicaragua's Expulsion of Arbitrarily Detained Priests October 25, 2023
- "Eight priests under house arrest in Nicaragua reportedly transferred to El Chipote prison" Catholic News Agency (CNA)