Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant
Sentence: 12 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: December//2023
Date of Sentencing: March/19/2024
Date of Release: September/5/2024
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Association Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Embezzlement & Fraud
Manuel de Jesús Ríos Flores was imprisoned for his religious affiliation and religious leadership role.
In December 2023, Nicaraguan police arrested Flores, a pastor with the Puerta de la Montaña Ministry, on dubious "money laundering charges" amid a crackdown on religious communities.
On March 19, 2024, the Fifth District Criminal Court sentenced Flores to 12 years in prison. Flores was also fined $80 million.
On September 5, 2024, the Nicaraguan government exiled Flores to Guatemala.
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