Nicaragua has recently revoked the registration of 1,500 non-profit organizations, marking the latest move in a long-running crackdown by the government. According to a notice published Monday in the official government gazette, La Gaceta, these organizations—many of which include religious groups—were accused of failing to submit their financial statements for periods ranging from one to 35 years.

Among the affected groups are organizations dedicated to sports, health, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, legal issues, and veterans' affairs. Notably, over 400 of the shuttered organizations were religious, predominantly Christian.

CNN has sought comments from the Vatican and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America regarding this development. Earlier this month, the Nicaraguan government also revoked the legal status of the Diocese of Matagalpa’s Caritas organization, citing bureaucratic reasons. The Diocese of Matagalpa is led by Bishop Rolando Alvarez, a vocal critic of the government, who now lives in exile after being convicted of charges including conspiracy and treason.

Under the rule of President Daniel Ortega, who secured a fifth term in 2021, civil liberties in Nicaragua have severely diminished. The government has arrested numerous opposition presidential candidates, journalists, and human rights activists under a vaguely defined national security law. In 2022, CNN en Español was forced off the air in Nicaragua.

The government's response to widespread anti-regime protests in 2018 was marked by severe violence, with Nicaraguan security forces responsible for the deaths of hundreds, the injury of thousands, and the arbitrary detention of many, according to Human Rights Watch. These events have led tens of thousands of Nicaraguans to flee the country.

In June, the United Nations voiced “grave concern” over the deteriorating human rights situation in Nicaragua, noting that at least 35 people have been arrested since March as part of a broader “crackdown on civic space,” according to Nada al-Nashif, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights.