2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Following strike action (5–12 December 2019)
In the wake of the strike action, UCU called for 'action short of a strike' in the form of 'working to contract', interpreted primarily as working only the hours notionally required and not rescheduling teaching missed during the strikes. As in 2018, universities' responses to this varied, with some threatening pay deductions for 'partial performance' in the event of staff not rescheduling teaching and others not planning to deduct pay. Press coverage included mentioning the University of Liverpool for threatening partial pay deductions and Reading for threatening 100% pay deductions, whereas Cambridge offered to reimburse lecturers for pay lost during the strikes if they rescheduled teaching.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Following strike action (5–12 December 2019)
On 4 December, UCU began reballoting thirteen branches which had nearly succeeded in achieving the 50% voter turnout necessary to take strike action, in the belief that the strike action at other branches would galvanise members into voting. It was believed that this would strengthen the threat of further industrial action.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Second report of the Joint Expert Panel on pensions (13 December 2019)
13 December saw the publication of the Joint Expert Panel's second report. This recommended changes to the governance of USS, to build on "the establishment of a new, jointly agreed purpose statement and shared valuation principles". Reporting focused on the Panel's proposal to introduce a dual discount rate into the USS pension scheme, whereby the fund supporting members who had retired would be put into low-risk, low-return investments, but the remainder of the fund (accruing to working members who had not yet retired) would be free to be invested in higher-risk, higher-return holdings.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Second report of the Joint Expert Panel on pensions (13 December 2019)
The report was welcomed by UUK and UCU and media reporting suggested that negotiations in its wake could lead to the cessation of impending industrial action; as strikes loomed in February, however, the UCU general secretary Jo Grady commented that 'most importantly, employers have not yet offered to cover the unfair contribution increases that are pricing members out of the scheme', implying that this was a key sticking point.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Second report of the Joint Expert Panel on pensions (13 December 2019)
The report also recommended three-way talks between UCU, UUK and USS on the governance of USS to lead to future pension policies being more satisfactory to scheme stakeholders. The 'tripartite group' first met on 17 January 2020.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Second report of the Joint Expert Panel on pensions (13 December 2019)
In mid-January 2020, the University of Sussex launched an "industrial action ex gratia scheme" to compensate students up to £100 for inconvenience caused by the ongoing industrial action. It this became the first UK university to offer compensation while industrial action was still in process.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Second report of the Joint Expert Panel on pensions (13 December 2019)
On 15 January, the Wellcome Trust published the report 'What Researchers Think About the Culture They Work In', which found that 29% of respondents felt secure in their jobs. On 20 January, UCU published a report on 'the dehumanising effects of casualisation in higher education' that noted that '67,000 research staff were on fixed-term contracts, making up two-thirds of the total research staff employed at universities, alongside 30,000 contracted teaching staff, many paid by the hour. A further 69,000 academic staff were on "atypical contracts" and so are not counted in the main staff record, while an estimated 6,500 were on zero-hours contracts'.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', UCEA publish negotiating position (27 January 2020)
On 27 January, UCEA published a document 'offered as part of a potential composite JNCHES settlement for 2019-20' addressing the Four Fights issues, with the exception of pay (where the pay rise offered remained at 1.8%). UCEA noted that it had been 'given the scope to go further than ever before as a national employer representative body', proposed to set 'expectations' for the employment practices of individual institutions, and summarised its offer at sector-level thus:


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', UCEA publish negotiating position (27 January 2020)
UCU welcomed these offers as progress but criticised the lack of an improved offer on pay and argued that UCEA needed to provide universities with 'a clear set of mechanisms for policing and enforcing the expectations which they are signing up to'.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Fourteen more universities ballot for strike action (29 January 2020)
On 29 January 2020, UCU announced results from the December–January reballots of selected universities that had failed to secure a 50% turnout in the 2019 ballots. As a result, two further universities joined the disputes on pensions and pay/conditions; nine joined the dispute on pay/conditions alone; and three joined the dispute on pensions alone; and two that had been on strike about pensions only added pay/conditions to their disputes. The number of institutions with a mandate to strike at this point stood at 74 in total: 47 for pay/conditions and pensions, 22 for pay/conditions only, and 5 for pensions only.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Before the strikes
On 3 February 2020, following consultation with branch representatives at the union's Higher Education Committee, UCU announced fourteen days of strike action, escalating over a period running from 20 February to 13 March: 20–21 February, 24–26 February, 2–5 March and 9–13 March.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Before the strikes
During February, UUK consulted its members on the possibility of making a new offer in the pensions dispute, responding to UCU's request that employers shoulder more of the burden of rising pensions contributions. 84% opposed the idea of making a new offer. Meanwhile, UCEA did not alter the offer it had made on 27 January. During the same period, the Times Higher Education reported restiveness among some UCU members about the desirability of further strikes.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Weeks 1-2 (20–26 February)
Strikes began on 20 February, with 74 universities affected, and news reporting on the day focusing on the determination of striking staff picketing in rainy weather. Following a few days with little apparent progress, UCEA resumed negotiations with UCU on Monday 24 February, and UUK resumed negotiations on Tuesday 25th. Negotiations continued throughout that week.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Week 3 (2–5 March)
Negotiations went on. and, following the leaking of minutes from a Russell Group meeting about casualisation, the Russell Group issued a statement pledging to address casualisation in that part of the university sector.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Week 3 (2–5 March)
By the end of the third week of strike action (Friday 6 March), UCU summarised the position of negotiations as showing good progress on achieving a UK-wide, sector level framework to address casualisation, gender pay-gaps, and workload, with continued debate concerning the pay deal. Regarding pensions, the Union represented UUK as putting more pressure on USS for reform, but little progress on convincing employers to shoulder a higher proportion of rising pension contributions.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Week 4 (9–13 March)
Little news emerged from negotiations, and on 11 March UCU negotiators on the Four Fights made it clear that good progress had been made on three, but that the sticking point for them was pay, and argued that UCU members would need to continue industrial action to achieve improvements in that area.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Week 4 (9–13 March)
Meanwhile, debate on USS was complicated by USS beginning their 2020 valuation, with UCU criticising USS's valuation methods and calling on UUK for support. No significant change appeared to have come about in employers' willingness to shoulder more of the rising costs of the pension scheme.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Week 4 (9–13 March)
As the strikes came to an end, UK universities found themselves under a relatively sudden set of pressures as the COVID-19 pandemic led to falling projections for international student recruitment, and UK universities rapidly switching their teaching to online modes. UCU cancelled rallies on the last day of strikes to reduce the risk of infection.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Responses to the strike
Student support at the outset of the strike was estimated at 47% by an unscientific poll reported by the BBC. With continued NUS support for the strikes, twenty-six students' unions wrote to the Minister of State for Universities, the chairs of the UCEA and USS trustee boards and the Chief Executive of Universities UK, expressing support for UCU and urging a swift resolution to the strikes. As in previous strikes, there was a student occupation, in this case of the Old Schools in Cambridge.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', Strikes recommence (20 February 2020), Responses to the strike
UCU members continued to find innovative ways to picket, with developments including a group of picketing runners circumnavigating the University of Leeds campus.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', After the strikes
The prospect of convulsive changes to university staff workload and working conditions caused by universities' responses to the pandemic increased the complexities and tensions surrounding the dispute. To continue legally constituted industrial action, most branches at this time needed to reballot for action; however, the reballots were postponed due to the crisis, and the legal mandate for industrial action expired on 28 April 2020.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', After the strikes
Against the backdrop of the closure of UK campuses and an improvised sector-wide shift to online teaching, negotiations on the disputes continued. On 1 April 2020, UCEA tabled a new offer regarding the Four Fights dispute. As before, there was no increase in UCEA's previous pay increase offer of 1.8%, but the offer did include more explicit resolutions to establish sector-wide 'expectations' and 'recommendations' that all employers should implement through action and negotiation with unions at a local level. On 16 May UCU announced that it would convene representatives from its branches on 26 May with a decision about the Union's next step to be taken by its Higher Education Committee the next day.


2018–2020 UK higher education strikes, 2019–20 industrial action on pensions and on the 'four fights', After the strikes
The dispute over the USS pension was also cast into a new light by the economic shock of the pandemic and fears over the short-time financing of the UK higher education sector; the fund breached a self-sufficiency measure on 12 March and reported itself to The Pensions Regulator accordingly. Fears were made more acute by the fact that USS's statutory annual valuation date fell on 31 March, in the midst of the economic crash. In April 2020, UCU and UUK issued a joint statement on their position in relation to USS, in this respect presenting a united front against the pension trustees.


2018–2020 World Boxing Super Series – cruiserweight division
The 2018–20 World Boxing Super Series – cruiserweight division is a World Boxing Super Series professional boxing tournament taking place between October 2018 and September 2020 in several countries. The Super Series features eight top-rated cruiserweight boxers in a single-elimination tournament. The tournament was organized by Comosa AG.


2018–2020 World Boxing Super Series – cruiserweight division
This tournament will be the second World Boxing Super Series held at cruiserweight, following the 2017–18 edition, which saw Oleksandr Usyk unify all four major world titles.


2018–2020 World Boxing Super Series – cruiserweight division, Quarter-finals
The quarterfinals are held from 13 October to 10 November 2018.


2018–2020 World Boxing Super Series – cruiserweight division, Semi-finals
Both semifinal fights were held on 15 June 2019, at Arēna Rīga, Riga, Latvia.


2018–2020 World Boxing Super Series – cruiserweight division, Final
The final originally was to be held on 16 May 2020 at Arēna Rīga, Riga, Latvia, the same place as the semi-finals, for the IBF and The Ring titles, but was postponed to 26 September 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be played behind closed doors.


2018–2021 Arab protests
The 2018–2021 Arab protests, known as Arab Spring 2.0, were a series of anti-government protests in several Arab countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Sudan, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. Economic protests also took place in the Gaza Strip.


2018–2021 Arab protests
The deadliest incident of civil unrest in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein resulted in its Prime Minister being replaced. Sustained civil disobedience in Sudan resulted in the overthrow of president Omar al-Bashir in a military coup d'état, the Khartoum massacre, and the transfer of power from a military junta to a combined military–civilian Sovereignty Council that is legally committed to a 39-month transition to democracy.


2018–2021 Arab protests
The alternative names "New Arab Spring", "Arab Spring 2.0", "Second Arab Spring", and "Arab Summer" refer to similarity with the preceding Arab Spring wave of pro-democracy protests which took place in 2010–2013.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Context and background
Tesbih Habbal and Muzna Hasnawi, Syrian editors writing in The Nation in October 2019, argued that the 2018–2019 sustained street protests in the Arab world starting with Sudan in December 2018, Algeria in February 2019, Egypt and Iraq in September and October 2019, Syria and Lebanon in October 2019, constituted a second wave of the process that started with the 2010–2011 Arab Spring. Syrian protestors in October held signs stating, "Syria—Egypt—Iraq: You've revived the spirit of the Arab people, from the [Atlantic] Ocean to the [Persian] Gulf!"


2018–2021 Arab protests, Context and background
Habbal and Hansawi described the process as having "profoundly changed the political consciousness of the region", overcoming fear of political activity and "setting a crucial precedent for challenging the persistence of authoritarianism". Habbal and Hansawi argued that the October protests in Syria "[proved] that even ruthless repression and tyranny cannot deter the resistance."


2018–2021 Arab protests, Context and background
Habbal and Hansawi argued that the new wave of protests frequently included usage of the slogan "Al-shab yurid isqat al- nizam!" (The people want the fall of the regime!) used during the 2010–2011 Arab Spring. The protests have often been described as being inherently "anti-systemic" to the entirety of the political establishment instead of opposition to a single policy, fueling this is large scale unemployment specifically youth unemployment. As well as frustration towards many Arab government policies, reliance on international aid for basic necessities, corruption and reliance of hydrocarbons (fossil fuels) has all led to discontent towards the often chronyistic system of the middle east.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Morocco
Moroccan protests during this period were not isolated and stemmed from problems that have existed since the Arab Spring came to Morocco. Riots and civil unrest specifically resulted from the Hirak Rif Movement in 2016 and 2017 followed by a lack of reform on behalf of King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The aftermath of the Hirak Rif protests in 2016 and 2017 has led to the imprisonment, detainment and trial of what is thought to be more than 400 protesters, journalists and political activists.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Morocco
After a lengthy trial period, which took until April 2019, to uphold the prison sentences of dozens of activists for up to 20 years. Several activists were sentenced to 20 years in prison including the leader of the protests Nasser Zefzafi. The upholding of these sentences sparked outrage among the relatives of the accused and brought thousands to the streets in protest of corruption and government indifference for the current standard of living.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Morocco
In May 2019 after renewed protests and demonstrations over the sentencing of Hirak Rif protesters the King pardoned an unknown number of protesters as a part of a royal pardon. It was the Kings way of marking 20 years on the throne but many see this as an excuse to suppress demonstrations and cool tensions with the protesters but give the impression that he is not making any concessions.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Morocco
The internet has allowed Moroccan citizens to express their discontent with the government and recently soccer stadiums have become a major outlet for the . One such chant:  has gone viral since erupting from numerous stadium protests and has gained worldwide attention. The mostly young football crowds gather in the tens of thousands in Moroccan soccer club stadiums. Football stadiums offer protesters a sort of free haven to voice their cries for the injustices they face. Fbladi Delmouni literally translates to: "In my country they oppress me." There are a number of different chants with lyrics that sometimes change significantly from one parody to the other, however the reoccurring them of criticizing the government and the poor standard of living is present.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Morocco
Protests in Jerada against the deaths of two people and impoverishment took place from 2017 to 2018. Protests in July 2018 saw tens of thousands of protesters demonstrate against the jailing of Hirak Rif Movement leaders. Police used tear gas in them. Social protests took place in June 2018, October–December 2018 and January 2019. Renewed demonstrations in April–May 2019 against the sentencing of leaders of the Hirak Rif Movement led to the king pardoning the leaders. Protests in 2020 against Israel in June and impoverishment in February led to repression.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Morocco
These issues at their core, while exacerbated by the death of Mouhcine Fikri, are due to the lack of a suitable standard of living for the Moroccan people. Massive projects have been taken underway to improve the infrastructure and development of the country but young and poor people feel that their needs are still being ignored. Projects that have been undertaken include Africa's first high speed train running from Casablanca to Tangier, as well as extensive renovations to the Rabat airport.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Morocco
However, Moroccans living in poverty, many of whom reside in rural areas in the countryside, are unable to benefit from such projects. Many in particular still suffer from the poor quality of transportation within major cities like the bus system in Casablanca, and connecting smaller cities and towns within Morocco. Most poorer Moroccans lack basic access to food and water and 22% of the country is unemployed. These recent projects have exacerbated the economic disparity between social classes in Morocco and generate more social unrest among the poor.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Morocco
One recent protest started in late 2017 and continued strong into 2018 over the lack of food and water. During this period, a stampede occurred in Sidi Boulaalam, a small village outside Essaouira, when supplies arrived to a marketplace, resulting in the trampling and deaths of at least 15 people. It is worse in the interior of Morocco in places like Zagora, a small village in the southeastern desert of Morocco, where for the past 15 years people have been surviving off drinking imported bottled water.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Jordan
The 2018 Jordanian protests started as a general strike organized by more than 30 trade unions on the 31st of May 2018 after the government of Hani Mulki submitted a new tax law to Parliament. The bill followed IMF-backed austerity measures adopted by Mulki's government since 2016 that aimed to tackle Jordan's growing public debt. Although Jordan had been relatively unscathed from the violence that swept the region following the 2011 Arab Spring, its economy had taken a hit from the surrounding turmoil and from an influx of a large number of Syrian refugees into the country. Jordan also hosts a large contingent of Iraqi and Palestinian refugees, further straining its finances. The UNHCR places Jordan as the world's second largest host of refugees per capita.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Jordan
The day following the strike on May 31, the government raised fuel and electricity prices responding to an increase in international oil prices. This led to crowds of protesters pouring onto the 4th circle, in Amman, near the Prime Ministry's offices that night. Other Jordanians also gathered across the country in protest of the measure in unprecedented large numbers. On 1 June King Abdullah intervened and ordered the freeze of the price hikes; the government acquiesced but said the decision would cost the treasury $20 million. The protests continued for four days until Mulki submitted his resignation to the King on 4 June, and Omar Razzaz, his Education Minister, became Prime Minister. Protests only ceased after Razzaz announced his intention of withdrawing the new tax bill.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Jordan
The protests have not been led by traditional opposition groups like the Muslim Brotherhood or leftists, but by diverse crowds from the middle and poor classes. Although some protesters set aflame tires and blocked roads multiple nights, protests were largely peaceful and few casualties were reported. They were staged after daylight hours as it was during the month of Ramadan.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Tunisia
The 2018 Tunisian protests were a series of protests occurring throughout Tunisia. Beginning January 2018, protests erupted in multiple towns and cities across Tunisia over issues related to the cost of living and taxes. As of 9 January, the demonstrations had claimed at least one life, and revived worries about the fragile political situation in Tunisia.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Tunisia
The Popular Front, an alliance of leftist opposition parties, called for continued protests against the government's "unjust" austerity measures while Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed denounced the violence and called for calm, claiming that he and his government believe 2018 "would be the last difficult year for Tunisians".


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Tunisia
A new series of protests started on 15 January 2021, amidst the 10th anniversary of the Tunisian Revolution. Thousands rioted in cities and towns across Tunisia, which saw looting, arson, as well as mass deployment of police and army in several cities and the arrests of hundreds of people.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Iraq
The 2018–2019 Iraqi protests over deteriorating economic conditions and state corruption started in July 2018 in Baghdad and other major Iraqi cities, mainly in the central and southern provinces. During the nationwide protests erupting in October 2019, Iraqi security forces killed over 500 people and over 27,000 have been injured, leading Iraq's president Barham Salih to call the actions of security forces "unacceptable." Some police have also been killed in the protests. The protests are the deadliest unrest in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein, with the death toll reaching 511 by 2 January 2020  and 669 by 13 January 2020.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Algeria
The 2019 Algerian protests, also called Revolution of Smiles or Hirak Movement, began on 16 February 2019, ten days after Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced his candidacy for a fifth presidential term in a signed statement. These protests, without precedent since the Algerian Civil War, have been peaceful and led the military to insist on Bouteflika's immediate resignation, which took place on 2 April 2019. By early May, a significant number of power-brokers close to the deposed administration, including the former president's younger brother Saïd, had been arrested.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Egypt
The 2019 Egyptian protests consisted of protests by thousands of people in Cairo, Alexandria, Damietta and five other Egyptian cities starting on 20 and 21 September 2019 in which the protestors called for President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to be removed from power. Security forces responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and live bullets and, as of 6 October 2019, 3000 arrests had been made, based on data from the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Egypt
Prominent arrestees included human rights lawyer Mahienour el-Massry, journalist and former leader of the Constitution Party Khaled Dawoud and two professors of political science at Cairo University, Hazem Hosny and Hassan Nafaa. The wave of arrests was the biggest in Egypt since Sisi formally became president in 2014. Human Rights Watch called for all those arrested for peacefully expressing their opinions to be released immediately. Amnesty International described the Sisi government being "shaken to its core" by 20–21 September protests and that the authorities had "launched a full-throttle clampdown to crush demonstrations and intimidate activists, journalists and others into silence".


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Egypt
Two thousand people, including Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) representatives, protested in Khartoum on 26 September in support of Waleed Abdelrahman Hassan, a Sudanese anti-Islamist student detained by Egyptian authorities, who gave a forced confession on MBC Masr television. The SPA stated, "the era when Sudanese citizens were humiliated inside or outside their country has gone and will never return". The Sudanese Foreign Ministry summoned the Egyptian ambassador and Waleed Abdelrahman Hassan was freed on 2 October 2019.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Gaza
The 2019 Gaza economic protests, dubbed as We Want to Live protests, began on February, initiating with the popular call "We want to live" by a group of politically unaffiliated media activists. The group has been nicknamed the 14 March movement. The protests aim at high costs of living and tax hikes in the Gaza Strip. The protests were violently suppressed.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Lebanon
The Lebanese protests were a series of protests that constitute a reaction against sectarian rule, stagnant economy, unemployment, endemic corruption in the public sector, legislation (such as banking secrecy) that is perceived to shield the ruling class from accountability. It is suspected that the direct trigger to the protests were due to the planned imposed taxes on gasoline, tobacco and online phone calls such as through WhatsApp, as protests started breaking out right after unanimous Cabinet approval of the WhatsApp taxes, due to be ratified by 22 October.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Lebanon
In contrast to the 2005 Cedar Revolution, and similarly to a process started in the 2015–2016 Lebanese protests, the 2019 protests were non-sectarian, crossing the Sunni–Shia Muslim sociological and religious divide and bypassing traditional political party alignments.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Libya
Street protests took place in August and September 2020 over issues of poor provision of services in several cities in Libya, including both cities controlled by the Government of National Accord (GNA) in the west (Tripoli, Misrata, Zawiya) and by the Libyan National Army (LNA) in the east of Libya (Benghazi). The de facto LNA-associated government led by Abdullah al-Thani offered its resignation on 13 September 2020 in response to the protests.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Sudan, Revolution
The Sudanese Revolution was a major shift of political power in Sudan that started with street protests throughout Sudan on 19 December 2018 and continued with sustained civil disobedience for about eight months, during which the 11 April 2019 Sudanese coup d'état deposed President Omar al-Bashir after thirty years in power, the 3 June Khartoum massacre took place under the leadership of the Transitional Military Council (TMC) that replaced al-Bashir, and in July and August 2019 the TMC and the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance (FFC) signed a Political Agreement and a Draft Constitutional Declaration legally defining a planned 39-month phase of transitional state institutions and procedures to return Sudan to a civilian democracy.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Sudan, Revolution
In August and September 2019, the TMC formally transferred executive power to a mixed military–civilian collective head of state, the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, and to a civilian prime minister (Abdalla Hamdok) and a mostly civilian cabinet, while judicial power was transferred to Nemat Abdullah Khair, Sudan's first female Chief Justice.


2018–2021 Arab protests, Timeline by country, Syria
In southwest Syria, worsening economic conditions led to rare anti-government protests in the city of Suweida, where demonstrators called for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, as well as the withdrawal of Iran-backed militias and Russian troops from the region. The protests led to Assad dismissing Prime Minister Imad Khamis. In addition, counter-demonstrations in support of the Assad government were also held. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch condemned the use of "arbitrary detentions", beatings and arrests by Syrian security forces, and called on the government to "immediately release" those detained.


2018–2021 Haitian protests
Protests began in cities throughout Haiti on 7 July 2018 in response to increased fuel prices. Over time, these protests evolved into demands for the resignation of Jovenel Moïse, the president of Haiti. Led by opposition politician Jean-Charles Moïse (no relation), protesters state that their goal is to create a transitional government, provide social programs, and prosecute allegedly corrupt officials. The protests and civil unrest that paralysed Haiti hit hard. Since the 14 January protest, hundreds of thousands have taken part in weekly protests calling for the government to resign.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, Background and origins
Released in November 2017, a Senate probe of the period 2008–2016 (concerning the René Préval and Michel Martelly administrations as well as the chief of staff of then-sitting President Jovenel Moïse) revealed significant corruption had been funded with Venezuelan loans through the Petrocaribe program.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, Background and origins
A new round of protests broke out in February 2021 amid a dispute over Moïse's presidential term. The protesters claimed that Moïse's term officially ended on 7 February 2021 and demanded that he step down. Moïse said that Haitian presidents have five years to serve according to the constitution and he has one more year to serve since he became president in February 2017. Protesters have also expressed concerns about the 2021 Haitian constitutional referendum, a referendum proposed by Moïse which would reportedly scrap the ban on consecutive presidential terms and enable Moïse to run again.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, Background and origins
Monique Clesca of the Americas Quarterly described it as "a three-year protest movement led by young people that has its roots in 2018 riots over high fuel prices and a lack of jobs and health care. They have made state corruption and President Jovenel Moïse the target of escalating protests."


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2018 protests
When Venezuela stopped shipping oil to Haiti in March 2018, this led to fuel shortages. With the removal of government subsidies in July, kerosene prices went up over 50 percent, with similarly steep hikes on other fossil fuels. These rises in taxes on gasoline, diesel, and kerosene that went into effect on 7 July 2018 brought Haitians into the streets. Flights were canceled into and out of Haiti by U.S. airlines. The government backed down on the tax increases, and the President accepted the resignation of the inexperienced Jack Guy Lafontant as Prime Minister on 14 July 2018, replaced one month later by Jean-Henry Céant.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2018 protests
In mid-August 2018, Gilbert Mirambeau Jr. tweeted a photo of himself blindfolded holding a cardboard sign with "Kot kòb PetwoCaribe a ?" ("Where did the PetroCaribe money go?") written on it. The hashtag petrocaribechallenge was soon widely circulated on social media.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2018 protests
Anger over the revelations and accusations from the continuing investigation simmered through social media into the autumn and boiled over again, first in October 2018, with tense scenes and violence in Les Cayes, in Jacmel, and in Saint-Marc. A week of protests in November 2018 led to 10 deaths, including several killed when a government car "lost a wheel and plowed into a crowd."


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, February
Significant protests broke out again in February 2019 following a report from the court investigating the Petrocaribe Senate probe. Economic problems and the increased cost of living helped fuel the protests.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, February
On 7 February, protesters targeted and damaged wealthy Haitians' luxury vehicles. The following day, the mayors of Petion-ville and Port-au-Prince announced the cancellation of pre-Haitian Carnival events. Two days later protestors clashed with police, with demonstrators throwing stones at the home of President Moïse, after one of his allies' security personnel struck a woman's car and began to beat her. On 12 February, protesters burned down a popular market, looted stores and assisted with a prison break in Aquin that freed all of the facility's prisoners. In Port-au-Prince, the building housing the Italian and Peruvian consulates was looted by protesters.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, February
President Moïse addressed the country on 14 February, saying he would not step down and "give the country up to armed gangs and drug traffickers." During a funeral procession on 22 February, Haitian police fired tear gas at a crowd of about 200 people carrying the casket of a man killed during protests days earlier. Opposition leader Schiller Louidor called for future protests, though the overall size of protests began to subside that day.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, March
Three days after the lower house voted a censure motion against Prime Minister Jean-Henry Céant's government on 18 March 2019, President Moïse replaced Céant with Jean-Michel Lapin. As of mid-November 2019, this change had not been ratified by the Haitian Parliament. Lacking a government because of the impasse between the President and the Parliament, Haiti has had hundreds of millions in international aid—for which having a sitting government was a prerequisite—suspended.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, June
During escalating protests on 10 June, journalist Rospide Petion was shot in a company car on his way home from Radio Sans Fin in Port-au-Prince, where he had criticized the government on air before leaving the station.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, October
On 4 October, thousands protested across Haiti. In Port-au-Prince, the mayor joined the protestors in calling for President Moïse to step down. Two days earlier, the opposition sent a letter by delegation to the UN Secretary General denouncing the sitting President's role in the Petrocaribe affair, and the government's role in a massacre in La Saline. Lyonel Trouillot wrote in L'Humanité that "[w]ithout dipping into conspiracy theory, there is something worrying about the international community's silence about the Haitian situation."


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, October
On 11 October, Néhémie Joseph, a second radio journalist critical of the government, was found dead in the trunk of his car in Mirebalais. On 22 October, thousands of Catholics demonstrated in the capital. Archbishop Max Leroy Mésidor asked Haitian leaders to heed the people who "cannot go on any longer. We are fed up." Energy crises, road blockages, and widespread unrest have led to massive drops in tourism, causing the closure of hotels in Petion-ville, where the Best Western Premier closed permanently, and in Cap-Haïtien, where Mont Joli was closed. Two people were killed in protests in Port-au-Prince on 27 October. Masked police officers were themselves out on the streets demonstrating that day because of low salaries and lack of health insurance.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, October
Although the Haitian constitution calls for legislative elections in October, none were held in October 2019. The United Nations announced they had counted 42 deaths and 86 injuries since mid-September.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, November
Peyi lok ("country lockdown") is how the situation was described in Haitian Creole in November 2019 after two and a half months with schools, courts, businesses, public services, and economic production largely shut down.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, December
Although parents and school directors still felt uneasy amidst barricades and gunfire, schools across the country began to reopen in December.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2019 protests, December
The U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (David Hale) visited Haiti on 6 December, following up on U.S. Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft's November visit. During his visit, he met with the administration and with leaders from several opposing political parties, some of whom, including Fanmi Lavalas and Fusion-Mache Kontre, refused any collaboration with President Moïse. On 10 December, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee began hearings on the situation in Haiti, which Frederica Wilson had pushed for. At the hearing, Maxine Waters was sharply critical of U.S. support for President Moïse. Neither the State Department nor USAID was present at the hearings.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2020 protests
In September and October 2020, more protests occurred throughout the country. The protesters criticized the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Haiti, alleging it did not provide enough to those who lost their jobs because of the virus.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2020 protests
Police held protests demanding better pay and working conditions. The police exchanged fire with Haitian soldiers outside the National Palace where police were protesting working conditions in February. In early 2020, a United Nations report said the Haitian police was corrupt, and failing to protect the population.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
On 14 January, hundreds demonstrated in Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien, Jacmel, Saint-Marc, and Gonaives against President Moïse. Most of the demonstrations were peaceful, but some violence was reported. On 20 January, hundred again demonstrated in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien to protest against President Moïse. One woman was shot by Rubber bullets and several others were wounded during protests. On 28 January, journalists, lawmakers, police officers, retirees, former police officers, and human rights judges led protests against human rights abuses and police brutality, violence, and repression against protesters and chanted "When they don’t get paid, we're the ones they call!"


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
On 7 February 2021, supporters of the opposition against incumbent President Moïse allegedly attempted a coup d'état. Moïse ordered the arrest of 23 people. Hundreds of people marched through the streets of Port-au-Prince on 9 February, chanting "Down with kidnapping! Down with dictatorship!" They bolstered opposition demands for President Moïse to resign. The police fired tear gas and shot in the air in an attempt to disperse protesters, who pelted the security officials with rocks. On 8–9 February, clashes with protesters and security forces occurred in Port-au-Prince, in which protesters threw stones and chanted "Out with dictators" while the riot police fired tear gas at the demonstrators who were protesting killings, disputed term limits.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
Protesters calling for President Moïse to step down clashed with police in the capital, Port-au-Prince, on 7 February. The police fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. According to the opposition, Moïse's term as president was supposed to end on 7 February 2021, but Moïse stated that his term doesn't end until 2022. On 10 February, the police used tear gas and shot into the air to disperse a rock-throwing crowd of protesters. Twenty-three people were arrested and two journalists were injured during the incident. Protesters shouted "We are back to dictatorship! Down with Moïse!


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
Down with Sison", a reference to the U.S. Ambassador Michele J. Sison, who supports Moïse. On 15 February, tens of thousands of protesters rallied again in Port-au-Prince, accusing the government of trying to establish a new dictatorship and denouncing international support for President Moïse and waves the national flag. Chants like "Down with the dictatorship" were chanted during mass protests.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
On 21 February, the opposition movement launched large protests in Jacmel and Port-au-Prince against President Moïse, and fought with the security forces. It is the third general strike, after the nationwide strike on 2 February and 8 February. On 25 February, at least 25 were dead and many injured during a prison break at Croix-des-Bouquets Civil Prison, during which gang leader Arnel Joseph escaped. Joseph was later found and killed in L'Estère. On 28 February, protesters took to the streets targeting offices and throwing stones at the police, despite a bloody crackdown on the widespread street opposition demonstrations. "We are back to dictatorship! Down with Moïse!" was chanted during protests on 28 February.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
Thousands of Haitians filled the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince, the manifestations, demonstrations and remonstrances were peaceful, doctors and handicapped lawyers participated in the protest on 7 and 9 March, under the slogan #FreeOurCountry. The protesters called for President Moïse, Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe to resign and called for a crackdown on kidnappers. The hastag FreeHaiti led opposition demonstrations across Haiti on 15 March, to protest the killing of four police officers in a village in Port-au-Prince, calling for the government to resign and demanded a crackdown on gang-led violence on innocent civilians.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
Citizens also voiced their opposition to corruption and armed gangs controlling cities. On 17 March, thousands wave tree branches and flags in protests against kidnapping and President Moïse. Tens of thousands of protesters and police officers protested across the capital and held a Haitian flag in protest at corruption and police arrests. Trainee police officers joined in the jail break while citizens took to the street for a fifth day to block roads with vehicles, debris and burning tires, also vandalizing a car dealership.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
In the capital, thousands of people, some of whom carried the national flag, also chanted slogans against the UN representative in Haiti, whom they accused of downplaying the scale of the demonstrations. The pro-democracy protest on 1 March was non-violent and was attended by tens of thousands of protesters.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
Thousands of Haitians rallied in multiple cities and the capital Port-au-Prince protesters demanded respect for the current constitution and yelled "Down with dictatorship" as militants burned tires and tore down recently mounted billboards promoting the upcoming constitutional referendum scheduled for 27 June ahead of legislative, local and presidential elections scheduled for the fall.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
On 3 April, thousands of women protesters marched on the 35th anniversary of the 1986 Haitian women's protests, defying a spike in kidnappings and called on President Moïse to deplore investigations into violence against women in Port-au-Prince. Workers of private businesses endorsed a nationwide work stoppage that occurred on 15 April to protest Haiti's security crisis. In April, protesters targeted areas surrounding government buildings, with eggs, colours, Easter Chick messages and Voodoo symbols to persuade President Moïse to resign ahead of elections.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, History, 2021 protests
On 22 April, white symbols were drawn during chalk street protests, a battle tactic to call on President Moïse to step down in Jericho and Port-au-Prince. On 7 April, protesters circled the national palace seven times, met with police firing tear gas; the same happened on 22 April, when nuns clashed with police.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, Actions, Moïse government
President Moïse called for his opposition to participate in peaceful dialogue, saying that "the country's problems aren't solely political. The country’s problems are social, economic and political." The national police stated that there are "malicious individuals" who had interrupted peaceful protests in the country.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, Actions, Opposition
The opposition has been led by Jean-Charles Moïse. This opposition declined offers for dialogue, demanded Moïse's resignation, and organized a nationwide general strike to attempt to force him to resign from office. Alongside opposition lawmakers, he called for a transitional government to replace Moïse: "If Jovenel Moïse does not want to step down from power, we are going to name an interim president in the coming days."


2018–2021 Haitian protests, Actions, Arrest of foreign mercenaries
The Port-au-Prince newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported on 18 February 2019 that a Haitian citizen and seven non-Haitians were arrested in the city. At the time of their arrest, they were carrying rifles, pistols, drones, and satellite phones in their vehicle, which did not have any license plates. Haitian Foreign Minister Bocchit Edmond confirmed that among them were five Americans. According to the editor of Haiti Liberté, the group included two former Navy SEALs, a former Blackwater employee, and two Serbian mercenaries living in the US. They were tasked with protecting the former head of the National Lottery, who intended to transfer US$80 million from a PetroCaribe bank account—controlled jointly by the President, the Prime Minister, and the President of the Central Bank—to a bank account solely controlled by President Jovenel Moïse.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, Violence towards the press
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, some reporters have been targeted by protesters. Reuters journalist Robenson Sanon was wounded during the protests in February 2019 but believes that it was coincidental because he was caught in-between clashes.


2018–2021 Haitian protests, Violence towards the press
Journalist Rospide Petion was killed on his way home from the Radio Sans Fin in Port-au-Prince on 10 June 2019 by an unknown gunman. Some correspondents filming protests on 9–10 June were targeted by both police and the crowds. On 11 October, Néhémie Joseph, another radio journalist critical of the government, was found dead in Mirebalais after complaining about receiving death threats. Freelance journalist Vladjimir Legagneur is presumed to have been killed in March 2018 while reporting on gang activity in Grande Ravine.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests
The 2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests began on 18 April 2018 when demonstrators in several cities of Nicaragua began protests against the social security reforms decreed by President Daniel Ortega that increased taxes and decreased benefits. After five days of unrest in which nearly thirty people were killed, Ortega announced the cancellation of the reforms; however, the opposition has grown through the 2014–2018 Nicaraguan protests to denounce Ortega and demand his resignation, becoming one of the largest protests in his government's history and the deadliest civil conflict since the end of the Nicaraguan Revolution. On 29 September 2018, political demonstrations were declared illegal by President Ortega. More than 2,000 protests were part of this significant mobilization.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Background, Pensions for small contributors
The 2013–2018 Nicaraguan protests began in June 2013 when some elderly people with only a small contribution (less than 750 weeks) demanded a reduced pension from the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute. Soon, students and young people joined their protests. After a week of demonstration, the peaceful protesters were attacked by paramilitary groups associated with the Sandinista Youth, while police had moved back only moments before. Later, to calm down the protests, concessions to the pensioners were made by president Daniel Ortega to supply a reduced pension.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Background, Proposed canal
Over a year later protests started again, this time opposing the construction of a proposed Chinese-funded inter-oceanic canal through Nicaragua, with environmental impact, land use, and indigenous rights, as well as Nicaraguan sovereignty among the chief concerns of demonstrators. By February 2018, the project was widely viewed as defunct, though a 60% absent vote to revoke the 2013 legislation creating the project, the Chinese company (HKND) granted the concession to develop the canal maintains legal rights to it as well as to ancillary infrastructure projects.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Background, Forest fires
In early April 2018, demonstrators marched in Managua, the country's capital, to protest what they regarded as an insufficient government response to forest fires that burned 13,500 acres (5,500 hectares) of the Indio Maíz Biological Reserve, a tropical nature preserve that is home to Rama and Kriol indigenous people, as well as significant biodiversity and endangered species. There were suspicions that the government had an interest in the fire, as it is the largest natural reserve through which the Nicaraguan Canal is planned to make. Counterprotests also occurred at the time in support of the Sandinista Front government.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Background, INSS crisis
In 2013, the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute was in a deficit situation that had been grown annually, reaching 2,371 million Nicaraguan córdobas by the end of 2017. This deficit has increased by over 50% annually for the last two years. The IMF alerted Nicaragua in 2017 that in the absence of the reform, the cash reserves would be depleted by 2019. The government of Daniel Ortega prepared a reform plan for the INSS based on the IMF's report.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Background, INSS crisis
The government rejected some of the proposed remedies, such as increasing the retirement age, arguing that older people have fewer possibilities of finding employment, and that the urgency of the reform required fast results to ensure the INSS's viability, as some measures suggested by the IMF would not yield results for three or four years.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Background, INSS crisis
In early April 2018, the Superior Council for Private Enterprise (COSEP) announced the start of negotiations with the government to reform the INSS, declaring that the solution must include an increase to the contribution of the employers and employees, as well as fiscal reform. These negotiations excluded small and medium-sized enterprises. The reforms were announced on 16 April 2018, and published by presidential decree in March 2018 in La Gaceta (official government record) on 18 April 2018.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Background, INSS crisis
The reform included an incremental increase of 0.75% (from 6.25% to 7%) on the employee contribution and 2% (from 19% to 21%) on the employers, starting July 2018. The employers' contribution would increase annually until reaching 22.5% in 2020. Pensions would also be taxed 5%. The 5% tax has been criticized as unconstitutional, since only the National Assembly has the power of taxation, and Law 160, signed by Ortega, indicates that pensions are not subject to any retentions.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Background, INSS crisis
The government-aligned unions Workers' National Front and the Employees National Union supported the reform, while the COSEP rejected it, indicating it did not have consensus and filed a writ of amparo in an attempt to reverse it.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, First protests
Citizens protest on 18 April after already being angered by the handling of the fires in response to the Ortega administration's announcement of social security reforms that raised income and payroll taxes while reducing pension benefits by 5%. Demonstrations involving mostly elderly individuals, university students, and other activists broke out in Managua and six other cities, which were repressed by authorities reporting to President Ortega. Authorities were seen using live ammunition on protesters while also arming Sandinista Youth members with weapons. At least 26 people were killed, including journalist Ángel Gahona of the news program Meridiano, with Gahona being shot to death outside of the city hall in Bluefields while streaming on Facebook Live. Various forms of independent media were censored during the protests.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, First protests
The following day on 19 April, Vice President and first lady Rosario Murillo made a speech mocking the demonstrators and labeling them of "small groups, small souls, toxic, full of hate", bent on the destruction of the country, assaulting peace and development. She also labeled the demonstrators that had been attacked as "aggressors" and the attack by pro-Ortega groups and police as "legitimate defense". Protests began to intensify with confrontations occurring in León, Managua, Granada, Boaco, Carazo, Estelí, Rivas, Matagalpa and Masaya.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, First protests
TELCOR ordered the suspension of transmissions of four independent TV channels that were reporting the news: channels 12, 23, 51, and 100% Noticias. Also the Catholic Episcopal Conference's TV channel. The suspension lasted several hours, except for 100% Noticias, who was off the air until 25 April. Murillo accused the protesters of being manipulated and trying to "destabilize" and "destroy" Nicaragua.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, First protests
Two days after the beginning of protests and the subsequent crackdown by authorities, Ortega made his first public appearance on 21 April and announced he would hold negotiations for a possible revision of the reforms, planned to take effect on 1 July 2018; however, he stated he would meet only with business leaders and alleged that demonstrators were being manipulated by gangs and other political interests. Demonstrations increased in response, with protesters objecting to the repression of demonstrations and the exclusion of other sectors from the negotiations, as well as the reforms themselves.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, First protests
The COSEP business chamber announced it would only participate in the negotiation if police violence ceased, detained protesters were released and free speech were restored. Nicaragua's Roman Catholic Conference of Bishops also called for an end to the police violence and criticized unilateral reforms; Pope Francis subsequently added his call for peace in the country.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Cancellation of social security reforms
As the press began to describe the unrest as the biggest crisis of Ortega's presidency, Ortega announced the cancellation of the social security reforms on 22 April, acknowledging they were not viable and had created a "dramatic situation". He again proposed negotiations on the issue, which would now include Catholic Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes as well as the business community.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Cancellation of social security reforms
On 23 April, marches of citizens, businessmen and students were held in Managua demanding the end of violence in the country, the release of students arrested by the police, the cessation of censorship of television media, and a response from the government about the students who died during the protests. The protests were the largest seen during the Ortega administration, with tens to hundreds of thousands of demonstrators participating and calling for the president's resignation. The next day on 24 April 2018, detainees were released by Nicaraguan authorities as a result of dialogue between the government and other organizations.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Investigations and resignations
Nicaraguan Attorney General Inés Miranda announced on 26 April that a formal investigation into the deaths during the protests. On 27 April, President of the National Assembly Gustavo Porras announced a truth commission to examine the deaths and violence during the unrest. Head of the National Police Aminta Granera announced her resignation in face of the criticism of her handling of the unrest and alleged police repression of protests.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Intensification of protests
Hundreds of thousands participated in marches for "peace and justice" organized on 28 April by the Catholic churches in Nicaragua in the cities of Managua, Matagalpa and León. At the events, "bishops, feminists, homosexuals, family members of those killed in the repression... and thousands of peasants" gathered in unity to demonstrate. Peasants who lived in rural areas traveled to Managua by a caravan of trucks, arriving to protest against the Nicaragua Canal proposal by Chinese businessmen and the Ortega government.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Intensification of protests
Days later on 30 April, tens of thousands of Ortega's supporters participated in a rally showing him support, though there were some reports of government workers being forced to join the pro-Ortega rally. The rally consisted mostly of singing and dancing to music of the 1960s and 1970s, popular to the former Sandinista guerrillas.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Intensification of protests
On 2 May, police in riot gear blocked a student march from Central American University (UCA) to the National Assembly, with students instead marching to the Polytechnic University of Nicaragua (UPOLI) to show solidarity with other groups entrenched there. After pro-Ortega groups appeared on their route, they cancelled another planned march, so students reinforced barricades surrounding UPOLI under the watch of authorities. Anonymous Nicaragua hacked the website of the National Police of Nicaragua, calling for them to support of anti-Ortega protesters.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Intensification of protests
The next day, elite troops of the Nicaraguan armed forces and police assaulted UPOLI in the early morning at about 01:00 CT, dispersing students stationed at the university. The incident left six students injured, one seriously. Student group Movimiento 19 de Abril responded to the incident stating that they would not participate in a dialogue with Ortega after he sent forces to attack them, placing peace talks in jeopardy. By 9 May, members of the independent press of Nicaragua condemned the killings, censorship and repression of the Government of Nicaragua.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Intensification of protests
More than 10 cities were the scene of heavy fighting on 12 May in at least eight departments in the north, center, and Pacific areas of Nicaragua. The biggest clashes took place in Chinandega, Granada, León, Managua, Masaya, and Rivas in the Pacific, as well as Estelí and Matagalpa in the north. In Masaya, the clashes lasted for more than 12 hours between demonstrators, anti-riot police and youth shock groups of the Sandinista party.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Intensification of protests
The following day, President Ortega called for a cessation of violence, reading a short statement, in which he called for "an end to death and destruction, that does not continue to shed blood of Nicaraguan brothers". The Military of Nicaragua assured that it would not engage in acts of repression against citizens who were protesting and advocated a dialogue to help resolve the crisis in the country, according to statements made by spokesman Colonel Manuel Guevara. In a demonstration, thousands of people arrived on 13 May from Managua to Masaya in a caravan to support that city for the loss of at least one life and 150 wounded in the past days.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
After weeks of conflict, the national dialogue began on 16 May 2018. When Ortega and Murillo arrived at the Seminary of Our Lady of Fatima, the site of the national dialogue, the presidential couple was greeted with shouts of "assassins, murderers" by people on the outskirts of the event.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
A delegation from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) arrived in Nicaragua on 17 May to observe in loco the situation of human rights in the country. The IACHR visit occurred as Nicaraguan human rights organizations were reporting between 61 and 67 people dead and more than 500 injured in the repression exercised against protesters. The delegation was headed by Antonia Urrejola, rapporteur for Nicaragua at the IACHR.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
On 18 May, the second day of dialogue, the IACHR now included in talks called "on the State of Nicaragua to immediately cease the repression of the protest, the commission also calls on the State to guarantee the independence and functioning of the media in the country", the rapporteur said, also indicating that the mission of the IACHR in the country will be the observation in the field in accordance with human rights. She indicated that she would meet with all sectors. There was friction between university students and members of the state-media press before the dialogue. The government and the Nicaraguan opposition agreed to a truce over the weekend, a month after having started demonstrations and protests. Several people appeared before the Inter-American Commission to lodge complaints against the violations carried out by the police forces and supporters of the Daniel Ortega government.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
The national dialogue continued on its third day on 21 May where the resignation of Ortega and his wife and the Nicaraguan government was requested in order to return the country to normality. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), issued a preliminary report on the investigations of what happened in the protests in Nicaragua. The IACHR counted at least 76 people killed in the protests in Nicaragua and more than 800 injured, and denounced serious events and violations of human rights by the Government of Nicaragua. It included the official visit of the IACHR to Nicaragua. The representatives of the organization were in Managua, Masaya, León and Matagalpa.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
A week after beginning, the National Dialogue between the government of Nicaragua and students, the private sector and civil society was suspended indefinitely. The leader of the Nicaraguan Catholic Church, Bishop Leopoldo Brenes, who had acted as a mediator of this dialogue, explained that the lack of agreement on an agenda of issues to be discussed prevented negotiations from continuing.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
On 30 May, the day on which the Nicaraguan mothers are celebrated, a march was held in honor of the victims killed during the protests. It was repressed by the national police in the company of paramilitary groups and pro-government mobs, leaving approximately 15 dead. Most of the victims died from accurate shots to the head, neck and chest. The march was led by the Mothers of April Movement, the Student Movement 19 April, Civil Society and Private Enterprise.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
In the early hours of 1 June, there were reports in Masaya of a new wave of looting and robberies against businesses and stores in the city. Movements, associations of professionals and Nicaraguan social groups called for a civic-citizen national strike and civil disobedience since 1 June, as a means of pressure for President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, to leave power. Five banks have closed in Masaya for lootings.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemned the deaths and new acts of violence that occurred in Nicaragua and urged the state to stop the repression of the protests. The IACHR also urges the government to investigate and punish the use of force by parapolitical actors, dismantle these groups, and seek a peaceful, constitutional and democratic solution to the current political crisis affecting the country. On 8 July, at least 38 were killed during skirmishes between protesters, authorities and pro-Sandinista paramilitary groups, raising the death toll to more than 300 Nicaraguans killed since the beginning of protests.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
Mobs, some hooded and armed, set out on 9 July surrounding and assaulted Catholic bishops, including Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, Auxiliary Bishop Silvio José Báez, and the ambassador of the pope in Nicaragua Waldemar Sommertag, after arriving in Diriamba, Carazo. Men in plain clothes, hooded and some armed, first verbally offended the religious and then attacked them physically, wounding some of them, while the journalists robbed and beat. The next day, Vice President of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo, said that the government presiding over her husband, Daniel Ortega, is "indestructible" and that the opposition "could not" defeat him, while also justifying the actions of violence against the Nicaraguan bishops and the apostolic Nuncio in Diriamba.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, National dialogue and clashes
On 11 July, the Nicaraguan opposition and academic Felix Maradiaga was attacked in the city of León (northwest Nicaragua) by a group of Sandinista sympathizers of the government of President Daniel Ortega.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Church of Divine Mercy incident
Police and paramilitaries attacked the Rubén Darío University Campus (RURD) of the UNAN Managua on 13 July.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Church of Divine Mercy incident
After hours of facing attacks, more than 100 students took refuge in the nearby Church of Divine Mercy where they were fired upon by police and paramilitaries, after the youths left the facilities the paramilitaries set fire to the university campus setting fire to a CDI and one of the pavilions of the college The Church of Divine Mercy was then the target of attacks and was besieged throughout the night of Friday the 13th and into the early morning of Saturday the 14th, leaving two students dead. The bullet holes in the walls, windows and religious objects in addition to the bloodstains were still visible in the days following the attack.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Church of Divine Mercy incident
On 14 July, clashes were reported in Granada, Masaya and Managua. Leaving two students killed by Nicaraguan police and pro-government paramilitary forces had to go with the presence of Cardinal Brenes, the apostolic Nuncio accompanied by members of the national and international organizations to rescue the wounded and besieged. Those rescued were received at the Cathedral of Managua, where they were received by ecclesiastical authorities and national and international human rights organizations. In the cathedral were also dozens of people waving flags of Nicaragua and UNAN to receive the students.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Government crackdowns, national lockout, and ban on protests
As a result of crackdowns in July 2018, the government forced people from protest centers and established a more firm presence in Nicaragua, though protests still continued in the following months.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Government crackdowns, national lockout, and ban on protests
The international community intensified pressure on the Government of Nicaragua on 16 July in order to stop the repression and disarm the paramilitaries after nearly 300 deaths during three months of protests demanding the exit of President Daniel Ortega. The United States, 13 Latin American countries and the Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, demanded Ortega to end the repression of the demonstration. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also denounced the Law on Terrorism that was recently approved by the pro-Ortega Parliament of Nicaragua, which it said can be used to criminalize peaceful protests.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Government crackdowns, national lockout, and ban on protests
On 17 July, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua raised its "strongest protest" for the "biased declarations" of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, defending the Law on Terrorism. Days later on 24 July, President Ortega said that he will not resign from the presidency of Nicaragua before finishing his term in 2021, ignoring the demand of opponents who demand his immediate exit from power to overcome the crisis.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Government crackdowns, national lockout, and ban on protests
An early-September general lockout organized to demand the release of political prisoners saw 90% participation of businesses in Nicaragua. It was estimated that the national lockout cost the country $20 million to $25 million per day.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Government crackdowns, national lockout, and ban on protests
On 29 September 2018, President Ortega declared that political protests were "illegal" in Nicaragua, stating that demonstrators would "respond to justice" if they attempted to publicly voice their opinions. The United Nations condemned the actions as being a violation of human rights regarding freedom of assembly.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, December raids
In December 2018, the government revoked the licenses of five human rights organizations, closed the offices of the cable news and online show Confidencial, and beat journalists when they protested.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, December raids
The Confidential newspaper and other media were seized and taken by the government of Daniel OrtegaSeveral service stations of the Puma brand were closed in the afternoon of 20 December by representatives of the Nicaraguan Energy Institute (INE), a state entity that has the mandate to regulate, among others, the hydrocarbons sector.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, December raids
Puma Energy entered the Nicaraguan oil and fuel derivatives market at the end of March 2011, when it bought the entire network of Esso stations in Nicaragua as part of a regional operation that involved the purchase of 290 service stations and eight storage terminals of fuel in four countries of Central America.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, December raids
On 21 December 2018, the Nicaraguan police raided the offices of the 100% News Channel. They arrested Miguel Mora, owner of the Canal; Lucía Pineda, Head of Press of 100% Noticias; and Verónica Chávez, wife of Miguel Mora and host of the Ellas Lo Dicen Program. Subsequently, Verónica Chávez was released. Miguel Mora and Lucia Pineda were accused of terrorist crimes and provoking hatred and discrimination between the police and Sandinistas.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Timeline of events, Application of the Democratic Charter
The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, announced  that he will begin the steps for an eventual application of the Democratic Charter to the State of Nicaragua, which would isolate the country from the inter-American community.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Dialogue and IACHR resolution
The national dialogue began on 16 May. Ortega kicked off the "dialogue for peace Wednesday" saying, "We all suffer the death of our loved ones, but we have the obligation not to respond to violence with more violence, because otherwise we have scales that end in wars, and the people are tired of that." Students led with a strong demand. "We have decided to be at this table to demand them right now to order the immediate cessation of the attacks that are happening in the country," said student leader Lesther Alemán, as protests continued throughout the country. After hearing the student, Ortega questioned the wave of protests, calling it "irrational violence". Monseñor Mata made three requests to Ortega.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Dialogue and IACHR resolution
On 23 May, the national dialogue was suspended. Archbishop Brenes suggested to create mixed commission of three representatives by each part to discuss an action plan to restore the table of the National Dialogue. The Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, Dennis Moncada Colindres, objected that the agenda of the National Dialogue involves 40 points that all lead to a single point; an agenda for a coup d'état for a change of government outside the constitution and violating the laws of the country. On the other hand, the university students, businessmen and civil society asked that a Framework Law be debated, which would allow to advance the elections, prohibit the presidential re-election and change the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE).


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Dialogue and IACHR resolution
Following the repression and over a dozen deaths in the 30 May protests, the Nicaraguan archbishops cancelled the National Dialogue and protests continued.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Dialogue and IACHR resolution
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights adopted precautionary measures of protection for the entire leadership that make up the University Coalition in Nicaragua and that have led the civic protests against the government since 18 April. The US government urged Nicaragua to fully implement the recommendations of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to prevent further violence in the protests against the government of President Daniel Ortega.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Protest violence and allegations
325 people have been killed as of 6 February 2019, as a result of the Nicaraguan government's repression of protests.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Protest violence and allegations
At least 42 people were killed in the first week of protests in April, with most injured by bullet wounds. Nicaraguan authorities used live ammunition to fire upon demonstrators resulting in hundreds of injured. Government forces were also reported to have armed pro-Sandinista groups with weapons to use against protesters. Following the government crackdown, rioting and looting ensued. On 2 May 2018, The Miami Herald reported a total dead of "At least 63 people, almost all of the student protesters" since the start of the demonstrations. By the end of May, over 105 people killed. As of 4 April 2019, between 325 and 568 have died over the period of the protests.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Protest violence and allegations
The United Nations Human Rights Council condemned what they said may have been possible "illegal executions" performed by the Nicaraguan government.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Protest violence and allegations
In July 2018, police arrested the mayor of Mulukuku and accused him of being involved in the deaths of three police officers.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Protest violence and allegations
Individuals detained during protests alleged torture by the Nicaraguan authorities, with hundreds of prisoners later released by the roadside in the outskirts of Managua with shaved heads and bare feet.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Protest violence and allegations
The Inter-American Human Rights Commission received allegations about some families being forced by the government not to file complaints about the deaths of their family members, mistreatment of detainees and threats against human rights defenders in the Central American country.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Protest violence and allegations
Many protesters tortured have reported hearing both Cuban and Venezuelan accents in the clandestine prisons operated by the Nicaraguan government.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Protest violence and allegations
Police arrested 107 protestors at march in Managua on 16 March 2019. Following intervention by the Vatican, those prisoners were freed.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Media
There were reports of media organizations being censored during the protests. Miguel Mora, the director of 100% Noticias de Nicaragua, stated that the Nicaraguan government censored his channel on cable networks in the country. The censorship of 100% Noticias was not lifted until 25 April. One journalist, Ángel Gahona, was shot and killed while reporting on the protests on Facebook Live. Radio Darío, a radio station known for being critical of the Ortega government, was said to be attacked and burned down on 20 April 2018 by pro-Ortega groups, leaving the facility at a total loss.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Media
The United Nations Human Rights Council criticized the attacks on media and censorship performed by the Ortega government. The Inter-American Press Association also called on the Ortega administration to stop its efforts of censorship, with its president Gustavo Mohme Seminario stating that its actions toward the media "unmasks the authoritarianism of a government that in its eleven years in power has only sought to dismantle the State for its benefit and that of his family members".


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Cyberattacks
Anonymous Nicaragua, a group of the Anonymous movement, joined the protests against the government and launched Operación Nicaragua, or #OpNicaragua. The operation consists of a campaign of cyber attacks against Nicaragua's government web pages or accused to be related to it. The campaign started on 26 April with an attack that left the National Assembly website out of service. The attacks continued against the websites of Juventud Presidente, Canal 2, and the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic, the Nicaraguan Institute of Civil Aeronautics, Nicaraguan Institute of Culture, El 19 Digital or Canal 6.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Cyberattacks
The state agency Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Postal Services (TELCOR) cited the corporations that provide the internet service to see what actions to take to form unity against hackers. TELCOR summoned these providers to a meeting to address security measures to take around the cyber-attacks executed by the international hackers against web portals of the government and private corporations.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Medical dismissals
The Nicaraguan Medical Association (AMN) denounced the alleged arbitrary dismissals of 146 doctors, specialists and subspecialists of the state health units, as a form of retaliation for their participation or support in the protests carried out in the last three months. With clashes, a medical march in Nicaragua has ended against the dismissals for treating the wounded during the protests against the Ortega government since last April.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Teacher dismissals
The dismissal of state teachers who support the demonstrations against the government caused an act of "student disobedience" in the city of Condega, in the north of Nicaragua, which is going through a crisis that has left between 317 and 448 dead since last April. Marist Institute students refused to enter the classrooms, in rejection of the decision of the Ministry of Education (Mined) to dismiss several of their professors "because they have their own criteria and do not support the murderers", informed the Student Movement 19 of April-Condega.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Flight of Nicaraguan citizens
Since the end of July and the beginning of August, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship and the Directorate of Immigration and Foreigners of Costa Rica reported a moderate increase in the entry of Nicaraguans into Costa Rican territory. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an average of 200 Nicaraguans per day apply for asylum in Costa Rica, overwhelming the country's immigration authorities. In addition, the Commissioner reported that about 8 000 Nicaraguan refuge requests have been reported since the beginning of the protests.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Flight of Nicaraguan citizens
Among the Nicaraguans who have sought refuge in Costa Rica are several university leaders, who fled Nicaragua after constant threats that forced them to leave the country. Among them the university leader Victor Cuadras Andino.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Flight of Nicaraguan citizens
The Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, Epsy Campbell, reported that more than 1,000 Nicaraguan refugee claims have been denied, in order to avoid an immigration crisis and to prevent the entry of illegal persons and maintain security in the region.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Flight of Nicaraguan citizens
On 3 August 2018 Nicaraguan singer-songwriter Carlos Mejía Godoy reported that he left his country because his life is in danger as part of protests against the government of President Daniel Ortega, of whom he is critical and adding to the hundreds of Nicaraguans who have refuge request


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Flight of Nicaraguan citizens
The Nicaraguan Association for Human Rights (ANPDH), highlighted in the rescue of injured, detained or harassed protesters in the Nicaraguan Protests of 2018 announced on Sunday 5 August  2018 the temporary closure of their offices due to serious threats and siege by illegal armed groups sponsored and supported by the President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. The flight from Nicaragua of the human rights activist Álvaro Leiva, after the popular singer-songwriter Carlos Mejía Godoy, for threats attributed to pro-government groups, triggered the alarms between humanitarian agencies, the UN and the OAS. Representatives of the Special Follow-up Mechanism for Nicaragua (Meseni) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Acnudh) discussed this situation


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Budget
Nicaragua cut its spending budget for 2018 by $186.3 million, 1.3% of its GDP, in the midst of the crisis. An amendment sent urgently by President Daniel Ortega mainly affects public investment programs, health and education portfolios, and transfers to municipalities, according to the project approved by the FSLN deputies and their allies.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, OAS working group and new protests
The Organization of American States (OAS) approved the creation of a 'working group' for Nicaragua, whose mission will be to support the national dialogue and contribute to the 'search for peaceful and sustainable solutions' for the crisis, the bloodiest since the 1980s. Nicaragua closed its doors to a Working Group of 12 countries created by the Permanent Council of the OAS, which seeks to support the national dialogue and contribute to the search for solutions to the crisis in the country.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, OAS working group and new protests
The government of President Daniel Ortega declared the presence of that Working Group for Nicaragua unacceptable, which he described as an "interventionist Commission." While so many protests continue in the capital and several departments of the Central American country. Affiliation to the INSS is in a tailspin: Nicaragua retreated to 2005 Villagers who were demonstrating in the municipality of Santa María, in Nueva Segovia, were kidnapped by Sandinista paramilitaries. Citizens participated in a march against the government of Daniel Ortega.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Alleged household searches
Several families claimed to have had their homes searched without a warrant from Nicaraguan Paramlitary and Police forces. Video footage of the alleged incident was released from their neighbours, which showed paramilitary groups exiting the premises and leaving on national police vehicles. The video does not make clear what those groups were doing prior to their exit.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Expulsion of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
The president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, has expelled from the country a mission of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which denounced the "high degree of repression" of the protests against the Government. announced the president of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH), Vilma Núñez, who described as "unprecedented" the decision of the Government of Daniel Ortega, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua said in a statement that "they stopped the reasons" they gave walk to that invitation.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, NCHR legal personality cancellation
The National Assembly of Nicaragua, canceled the legal personality of the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh), the main organization of its subject in this country, which has denounced the abuses and misuses of the Government since April when The demonstrations that demand the departure of the former Sandinista guerrilla began. This decision, considered a "revenge" by activists, is a blow to an organization with a long history in the defense of human rights in the Central American country, which has made it worthy of several international recognitions.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, NCHR legal personality cancellation
The legal personality of Hagamos Democracia was also canceled, an organization dedicated to, among other activities, overseeing the actions of the Nicaraguan Legislative Body. Previously, it had canceled the legal personality of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Public Policies (IEEPP), which directs Felix Maradiaga and the feminist organization Information and Health Advisory Services Center (CISAS), run by feminist Ana Quirós, who three days earlier had been expelled to Costa Rica, by orders of the government of Nicaragua. Accusing them of terrorism and putschists  fact that has outraged international organizations.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, NCHR legal personality cancellation
The Sandinista parliamentary majority, composed of 70 deputies, has canceled the legal status of three Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), including the Institute for the Development of Democracy (Ipade), which is headed by Mauricio Zúniga. The other two organizations that have been canceled this morning are the Segovias Leadership Institute Foundation, led by Hayde Castillo and the Foundation for the Conservation and Development of the South East of Nicaragua (Fundación del Río), directed by Amaro Ruiz.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Expulsion of international human rights organizations
The Nicaraguan government headed by Daniel Ortega expelled two missions of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), after accusing them of acting in an "interventionist" and biased manner in their assessment of the country's situation in the context of anti-government protests,The country remains "practically without independent human rights bodies," declared the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, claiming to be "very alarmed" because the Government of Nicaragua has expelled two MESENI institutions from the country. the GIEI * -established by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts report
Repression, torture, and sexual assault "among other crimes. It has been eight months since the last wave of protests against Daniel Ortega's government in Nicaragua began, and the crisis does not seem to subside. The demonstrations have already left at least 325 dead and hundreds injured and detained. On behalf of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH) and the Nicaraguan government itself, the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) began an investigation six months ago to clarify the first deaths. The group presented a report this Friday, two days after being expelled from the country by the Nicaraguan authorities. The report focuses on the violent events that occurred between 18 April and 30 May 2018. In this period, the GIEI has 109 deaths (95 due to firearms), more than 1,400 injured and more than 690 detainees. Where the Nicaraguan government is held responsible for the violent acts.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Nica Act
On 20 December 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Nica Act, a law that imposes a series of financial sanctions on the Nicaraguan government, and on migration to officials involved in acts of violation of human rights. Trump signed the law in the White House, according to information provided to journalists by the press office of former congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, one of the driving forces behind the project. The Nica Act was approved in the Senate on 27 November and in Congress on 11 December.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Nica Act
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Peoples Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) rejected the approval, by the United States Congress, of Nicaragua's Investment and Conditionality Law (Nica Act). Jorge Arreaza, the Venezuelan chancellor, explained that the mechanism limits the capacity of the Central American country to obtain financing from international organizations.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Death of political prisoners
The Nicaraguan Ministry of the Interior reported the death of the 57-year-old political prisoner Eddy Antonio Montes Praslin due to a shot by a prison guard when they "allegedly" controlled a riot, the events happened during a visit of the Cross International Red. The death of this prisoner provoked protests at the head of the La Modelo Prison by relatives of political prisoners who want to know about the physical state of the detainees from the Sandinista government.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Death of political prisoners
On 11 June, several political prisoners were released. Among them were the journalists Miguel Mora Barberena and Lucía Pineda Ubau, the peasant leader Medardo Mairena and the student leader Edwin Carcache.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, Death of political prisoners
On Sunday 16 June, after a thanksgiving Mass for the release of political prisoners in the Managua Cathedral, there was a protest on the grounds of that temple which was attacked by the police with tear gas and rubber bullets. The protesters took refuge behind the perimeter wall of the cathedral.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, February 2020
On 4 February 2020, the end of the retention, at customs, of the paper and ink of the newspaper La Prensa was reported. This newspaper confirmed that, through the efforts of the apostolic nuncio, a communication channel was opened with the General Directorate of Customs (DGA) to deliver the retained material.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, February 2020
On 25 February various opposition sectors founded the National Coalition in an act held at the Hispamer Bookstore auditorium in Managua, despite the police siege outside.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, February 2020
From the early hours of 25 February 2020, the Nicaraguan Police kept all the entrances to Managua taken on the same day that the opposition to Daniel Ortega's regime plans to demonstrate to demand the release of political prisoners. At the checkpoints, the officers requisition private vehicles, buses and detain people to question them about the reasons for their visit to the capital. In several places, the police attacked citizens who protested and showed their disagreement with the authoritarian government of Ortega and in these actions the police and civil or paramilitary groups related to Sandinismo attacked and threatened Journalists.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, March 2020
Followers of the ruling Sandinista Front of Nicaragua desecrated on 3 March 2020 with insults, robberies and aggressions the mass present in honor of the late poet and revolutionary priest Ernesto Cardenal in the Cathedral of Managua, denounced the assistants. The attacks began when Bishop Rolando Álvarez spoke and intensified at the conclusion of the ceremony. At least one young opponent and four journalists were beaten, and some of the communicators were robbed of their equipment.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, March 2020
Government supporters occupied the benches on the left side and around the church, from where they shouted government slogans and expletives to relatives, friends and opponents who attended the ceremony, which was chaired by the apostolic nuncio Waldemar Stanislaw. Support coup d'état, criminals, free country or die, Long live Sandino! ", Shouted the Sandinista supporters carrying flags and handkerchiefs of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN, left), when the poet's family tried to get his coffin out of the cathedral behind end the mass.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, March 2020
At the end of the Mass, the relatives decided to remove the coffin of the poet as soon as possible from the church before the tension increased. They couldn't do it through the front door. They had to remove it from the side of the Cathedral. After the coffin was removed in the funeral carriage of the religious precinct, government supporters and media reporters harassed Gioconda Belli and other assistants. Diplomats and cultural personalities witnessed the embarrassing episodes.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, March 2020
On 5 March 2020, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP), the main law enforcement entity in Nicaragua, and three NNP commissioners because they are "responsible for human rights abuses in Nicaragua" according to the US Treasury.


2018–2021 Nicaraguan protests, March 2020
On 18 March 2020, Rosario Murillo confirmed Nicaragua's first case in a growing COVID-19 pandemic to be a Nicaraguan man who had recently traveled to Panama. Two days later, a second case of COVID-19 was confirmed for another Nicaraguan who had recently traveled to Colombia. Nicaragua took fewer government actions to address the pandemic than its neighbors. They notably allowed for major sporting events and the annual Easter celebrations to carry on as usual. The health minister justifies this decision by stressing the need to support the Nicaraguan economy, after the recession caused by the protests of the two previous years.