Central America rights organization reports almost 80,000 arrests and over 250 deaths in El Salvador since 2022 state of emergency News
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Central America rights organization reports almost 80,000 arrests and over 250 deaths in El Salvador since 2022 state of emergency

Human rights organization Cristosal reported on Wednesday that 265 people passed away and 79,211 people were arrested in El Salvador amid the state of emergency that was declared on March 27, 2022. The state of emergency suspended certain constitutional freedoms in response to gang violence.

According to Cristosal, detainees were “[f]orced into deplorable conditions”, where they were confined for long periods and were not given access to light, hygiene and food. Detainees were also tortured and subjected to inhumane treatment. Cristosal stated that some detainees developed medical conditions, such as respiratory issues and renal failure, due to the physical abuse they were subjected to in prison. Cristosal stated that El Salvador did not respect the lives of individuals in custody contrary to its obligation under international law.

Cristosal said that El Salvador did not investigate incidents or determine criminal responsibility. According to testimonies, families of deceased individuals were not informed of their families’ passing by state authorities. In addition, Cristosal stated that all of the arrests were made in flagrante delicto without prior investigation. Cristosal “determined that none of the arrests in flagrante comply with the legal standards to justify the detention and were therefore arbitrary in nature.”

The El Salvador Legislative Assembly approved the state of emergency at the request of President Nayib Bukele to deal with the increased number of killings by criminal gangs. The El Salvador legislature subsequently approved President Nayib Bukele’s request to extend the state of emergency on March 9. Under the state of emergency, the government put in place strict measures prohibiting public gatherings.

Previously on March 26, 2024, an Amnesty International report on El Salvador revealed the consequences of a prolonged state of emergency on human rights in the country. The report detailed how the government used its emergency powers to “ignore” its obligations to protect human rights. The report claimed that the suspension of fundamental human rights “is an action that cannot be justified under any circumstances or in any context.”

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