• The IACHR granted precautionary measures to protect ten Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica from risks related to transnational repression. The decision presents a key challenge for the States who host persecuted individuals: guaranteeing their safety without preventing them from continuing to defend human rights, practice journalism, or participate in public life.

Washington, D.C., October 21, 2026.– The precautionary measures recently granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in favor of ten Nicaraguan exiles in Costa Rica, at the request of the Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights (Race and Equality), recognize the seriousness of the risks they face due to the transnational repression carried out by the Ortega-Murillo regime. Furthermore, the decision presents an opportunity to strengthen protection mechanisms in Costa Rica, so that human rights defenders and journalists can continue their work safely, without their protection requiring them to forgo the exercise of their rights.

On September 24, the Commission issued Resolution 73/2026, granting precautionary measures in favor of the Director of Dario Medios Internacional, Aníbal Toruño, and nine other Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica, “after determining that they are in a serious and urgent situation, given that their rights to life and personal integrity are at risk of irreparable harm in Costa Rica.”

In its decision, the IACHR calls on Costa Rica to, “with a view to protecting the rights to life and personal integrity of individuals, conduct a comprehensive and individualized risk assessment that takes into account the specific circumstances of each beneficiary, the underlying causes, and the work they perform,” and to adopt “the necessary measures to ensure that beneficiaries can continue to perform their work safely in the country” .

At Race and Equality, we believe that this decision represents a significant step forward in the effort to protect those who, from exile, continue to denounce human rights violations in Nicaragua, while also raising a fundamental question: How can we guarantee the safety of persecuted individuals without forcing them to give up the human rights advocacy activities for which they have been targeted?

Repression Crosses Borders

Since the crackdown on social protests in April 2018, Costa Rica has become one of the main destinations for Nicaraguans who have been forced to flee their country. It is estimated that nearly 300,000 Nicaraguans are living in exile in Costa Rica.

However, threats against people who speak out against the Nicaraguan regime do not necessarily end when they leave Nicaragua. The IACHR has expressed concern over reports from human rights organizations regarding threats and attacks suffered by Nicaraguans in that country, one of the most notable cases being the murder of Roberto Samcam, a retired army major and Nicaraguan opposition figure, as well as the armed attacks against opposition figure Joao Maldonado and his wife, Nadia Robleto, and the attacks against opposition figure Reinaldo Picado, among others.

Protect Without Silencing

One of the most important aspects of this decision is the recognition that protective measures must allow beneficiaries to continue their work in human rights defense, political activism, journalism, and advocacy in safe conditions.

This approach addresses a specific shortcoming in Costa Rica’s existing protection system. In its petition, Race and Equality argued that the country lacks a specific protocol to protect human rights defenders. Instead, mechanisms designed for victims or witnesses in criminal proceedings are used, which may involve isolation, being held incommunicado, suspension of normal activities, leaving one’s home, and staying in locations designated by the authorities.

Although these measures may address specific needs in other contexts, their application to human rights defenders, journalists, and activists can directly affect their ability to continue their work. In situations of transnational repression, this poses an additional risk: that those seeking protection may end up marginalized from the community, professional, and public spaces through which they exercise their rights.

That is why the approach adopted by the IACHR is essential: Protection must reduce risks, not shift the burden onto those affected by requiring them to give up their work in order to stay safe.

For Race and Equality, this principle is fundamental in supporting people who, even from exile, continue to denounce human rights violations and defend fundamental freedoms.

An Opportunity to Strengthen Protection in Costa Rica

The granting of these precautionary measures is a significant achievement resulting from the work of Race and Equality, as the ruling acknowledges the seriousness and urgency of the risks reported and opens up new avenues for protecting the beneficiaries, in consultation with them.

At the same time, the decision poses a challenge that goes beyond individual cases. Costa Rica, as a host country for thousands of Nicaraguans who fled repression, needs to strengthen its responses to the risks posed by transnational repression.

This involves moving toward adequate protection mechanisms for human rights defenders, journalists, and activists; ensuring that the measures adopted are effective in addressing the identified risks; and guaranteeing that those under protection can continue to exercise their rights and carry out their work.

It also calls for an investigation into the attacks and for progress toward accountability to prevent impunity from leading to further attacks. In this regard, Race and Equality has expressed concern over the closure, on October 5, 2026, of the investigation aimed at identifying the person who allegedly ordered the murder of Roberto Samcam, a decision that, in the organization’s view, does not help create the protective environment that Nicaraguans at risk need.

Security and the Defense of Rights Must go Hand in Hand

The IACHR’s decision sends an important message to Costa Rica and the other States that have shown solidarity by offering refuge to Nicaraguans who are victims of repression: offering refuge is an essential step., but it is also necessary to guarantee genuine conditions of safety so that persecuted individuals can rebuild their lives and continue to exercise their rights.

For Race and Equality, the precautionary measures granted by the IACHR in favor of 10 Nicaraguans in exile in Costa Rica reaffirm the importance of using the mechanisms of the Inter-American System to address urgent risks and promote protective measures that meet the specific needs of those affected.

Race and Equality will continue to support human rights defenders and journalists as they denounce the violations they face at the hands of the Nicaraguan dictatorial regime, and to advocate for host countries to guarantee them the comprehensive protection they deserve, without requiring them to give up their work in defense of human rights and freedom of expression.