EL SALVADOR APPROVES LIFE SENTENCES FOR MINORS IN CRACKDOWN ON CRIME

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Agency Report

El Salvador has approved a controversial bill allowing courts to sentence minors to life imprisonment for serious crimes such as rape, murder, and terrorism, marking a significant escalation in President Nayib Bukele’s anti-gang crackdown.

The move follows a broader constitutional reform passed earlier this month permitting life sentences for “murderers, rapists, and terrorists,” increasing the previous maximum prison term of 60 years. Bukele had advocated extending the measure to offenders under the age of 18, regardless of gang affiliation.

Speaking on the development, National Assembly President Ernesto Castro said the law is aimed at ensuring long-term public safety.

“We have given Salvadoran families the reassurance that none of these criminals will ever see the light of day again,” Castro stated.

Bukele’s administration has intensified its security strategy since declaring a state of emergency in 2022, a policy that has led to the arrest of more than 90,000 people, many accused of links to criminal gangs.

While the government maintains that the crackdown has significantly reduced crime, critics and human rights groups have raised concerns over alleged abuses, including mass arrests without warrants and due process violations.

The latest reform is expected to further fuel debate over the balance between public security and human rights in the country.

AFP