An preliminary month-long crackdown on gangs was launched on 27 March 2022 and has been often renewed, with the newest extension introduced final week. Not less than 65,000 individuals, together with kids, have been detained since then. 

OHCHRunderlined that the fitting to life, absolutely the prohibition in opposition to torture, the ideas of truthful trial, and the procedural safeguards that defend these rights, apply always, even throughout states of emergency. 

Responsibility to conform 

“We perceive the intense challenges posed by gang violence, and the State’s responsibility to make sure safety. Nonetheless, it’s the State’s responsibility to take action in compliance with worldwide human rights legislation,” Spokesperson Marta Hurtado instructed journalists in Geneva. 

Ms. Hurtado mentioned a number of the mass detentions “could quantity to arbitrary detention as they seem like primarily based on poorly substantiated investigations, on crude profiling of the bodily look or social background of these detained.” 

Ailing-treatment and deaths 

Circumstances in overcrowded locations of detention have been additionally deeply regarding. OHCHR has acquired allegations of great violations of prisoners’ rights, reminiscent of extended solitary confinement.  

There have additionally been situations of inmates with continual illness not receiving prescribed medicine, and stories of different types of ill-treatment. 

“It’s particularly worrying that 90 individuals have allegedly died in custody for the reason that state of emergency was first enacted, and solely restricted data is accessible on how the investigations into these deaths are continuing,” Ms. Hurtado mentioned. 

Hundreds of complaints 

She burdened that States have a heightened responsibility to guard the lives of people disadvantaged of their liberty. To date, El Salvador’s nationwide human rights establishment has collected practically 8,000 complaints of rights violations in opposition to prisoners.    

OHCHR urged the authorities to guarantee persons are not arrested with out enough authorized authorization, and to make sure that these detained are afforded all elementary safeguards as required beneath worldwide human rights legislation.  

Repression reduces reintegration 

The Authorities should additionally enable the nationwide human rights establishment unrestricted entry to all jail services so it could actually conduct common, impartial reporting on the circumstances. 

“We remind the authorities of worldwide expertise displaying that counting on a very repressive penitentiary mannequin reduces the probabilities of prisoners being efficiently reintegrated into society,” mentioned Ms. Hurtado. 

She added that discovering long-term options to insecurity and crime would require addressing the basis causes of gang violence, reminiscent of social inequalities, marginalization and the dearth of efficient social insurance policies and governance.