barriers to travelling abroad and criminal RIGHT TO HEALTH prosecution. In February, the OHCHR expressed concern The Inter-American Court of Human Rights about the lack of disaggregated data granted provisional measures in favour of a regarding Covid-19 infection among number of detainees and ordered their Indigenous peoples and Afro-descendant release. However, authorities failed to comply communities and of information on specific with the Court’s rulings. measures to protect them. Authorities arbitrarily detained, forcibly In August, the Pan American Health disappeared and prosecuted political Organization reported that it could not assess opponents and presidential hopefuls.1 Days the state of the pandemic in Nicaragua before and during the elections, the Inter- because of the lack of official information. American Commission on Human Rights Ignoring international guidelines from the (IACHR) received information on increased WHO, Nicaragua did not prioritize health police harassment, threats and arbitrary workers at the start of its Covid-19 detentions against opposition leaders, human vaccination programme. Some media reports rights activists, members of civil society stated that government supporters were 2 organizations and journalists. prioritized for vaccination, regardless of their 4 ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES risk profile for Covid-19. Harassment and threats against health Between the end of May and November, workers who criticized government policies or authorities detained at least 39 people they informed the public about the pandemic considered government opponents, including continued. In July, the Vice-president publicly seven presidential hopefuls. Some were called them “fake doctors” and some were victims of enforced disappearance – their fate forced to flee the country for their own safety. or whereabouts were unknown for weeks or months.3 1. “Nicaragua: Strategy of repression in the run-up to elections continues relentlessly”, 6 July INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS 2. “Nicaragua: Announcement of Ortega’s re-election augurs a terrible Local NGOs and communities reported the new cycle for human rights”, 8 November presence of and attacks by non-Indigenous 3. Nicaragua: Where Are They?: Enforced Disappearance as a Strategy of settlers on their lands. Some of the attacks Repression (Index: AMR 43/4631/2021), 25 August resulted in the deaths of Indigenous people. 4. “‘Prison, economic ruin, repression and exile’: the price Nicaragua’s During August, an attack by non-Indigenous health workers pay for doing their jobs”, 14 September settlers against a community in the Mayangna Sauni As territory resulted in the deaths of at least nine Indigenous people. NIGER In September, the IACHR detailed a number of reports of Indigenous communities on the Republic of Niger northern Caribbean coast being the victims of Head of state: Mohamed Bazoum (replaced kidnappings, killings, sexual assaults, threats Mahamadou Issoufou in April) and arson attacks on their homes. Head of government: Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou In October, the UN Committee on (replaced Brigi Rafini in April) Economic, Social and Cultural Rights expressed concern regarding allegations that Armed groups continued to commit human authorities had promoted the creation of rights abuses, including war crimes. The parallel governments to supplant the chosen Islamic State in the Greater Sahara representatives of Indigenous peoples. launched several attacks against civilians in Tillabéri region, while humanitarian access to communities was restricted by administrative measures. The lack of Amnesty International Report 2021/22 273