Bishop Rolando Álvarez Unjustly Detained for 500 Days in Nicaragua

President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo have unjustly incarcerated Bishop Rolando Álvarez for 500 days.  During that time, Nicaraguan authorities have kept Bishop Álvarez in isolation, blocked independent evaluation of the conditions of his imprisonment, and released staged videos and photographs that only increase concerns about his well-being.    

In addition to Bishop Álvarez, many religious leaders remain unjustly detained in Nicaragua, including fellow Bishop Isidoro Mora and several priests. The Ortega-Murillo regime continues to impose severe restrictions on religious communities and deny Nicaraguan citizens the ability to freely practice their religions and express their beliefs.   

We once again call on the Nicaraguan government to release Bishop Rolando Álvarez immediately and without conditions.