Amnesty International stated on Thursday that authorities in El Salvador have misused the penal justice system and recent legal reforms to repress human rights defenders and silence dissenting voices, thereby undermining the rule of law in the country.

Americas Director at Amnesty International Ana Piquer said: “Instead of impartially delivering justice, the criminal justice system in El Salvador has become a weapon to punish dissent and stifle civic space.”

The organization noted that the country’s authorities implemented a “repressive apparatus” through criminal procedures and used it to silence human rights activists. This was particularly the case with the state of exception that has been in effect since 2022. According to Amnesty International, the state of exception has been m

See Full Page