Condemning the Nicaraguan Government's unjust imprisonment of individuals affiliated with Mountain Gateway Ministry.

Whereas, in December 2023, eleven individuals affiliated with Mountain Gateway Ministry, Marcos Sergio Hernández Jirón; Harry Lening Rios Bravo; Manuel de Jesús Ríos Flores; José Luis Orozco Urrutia; Álvaro Daniel Escobar Caldera; Juan Carlos Chavarría Zapata; Juan Luis Moncada; Orvin Alexis Moncada Castellano, César Facundo Burgalin Miranda, Walner Omier Blandón Ochoa, and Maricela de Fátima Mejía Ruiz were arrested by the Government of Nicaragua;

Whereas there is concern the Nicaraguan Government has charged each of the listed individuals for crimes on baseless claims of money laundering and organized crime;

Whereas the accused do not have adequate access to legal counsel;

Whereas there is concern that United States citizens affiliated with Mountain Gateway Ministry are being targeted for arrest and extradition by the Nicaraguan Government;

Whereas this follows a pattern by the Nicaraguan Government to quell the free speech and religious rights of Christians and other non-governmental organizations in Nicaragua;

Whereas, on November 30, 2022, in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the Secretary of State designated Nicaragua a Country of Particular Concern for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom;

Whereas the Nicaraguan Government’s actions are yet another example of an extreme intolerance of religious organizations; and

Whereas Congress has a vested interest in upholding international religious freedom and human rights: Now, therefore, be it