Efrén Antonio Vílchez López

Extra Bio Info:

Efrén Antonio Vílchez López is imprisoned for his religious activity and leadership role. 

On May 15, 2022, Nicaraguan authorities beat and detained Vílchez López, a well-known cross-denominational organizer affiliated with the International Missionary Centre Chapel of the Spirit. Authorities charged him with rape, a common tactic for attacking religious leaders in Nicaragua. 

On September 21, 2022, Judge Edén Enrique Aguilar Castro sentenced Vílchez López to 23 years' imprisonment after the court refused to consider evidence of his innocence. Vílchez López, a diabetic, has been denied daily insulin, which resulted in his hospitalization.