The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
UN Human Rights spokesperson Marta Hurtado made the following statement on El Salvador (available in EN and SP):
“We recognise the complex challenge El Salvador faces in tackling criminality, as well as the grave suffering inflicted by the country’s gangs.”
The gangs have murdered, raped, robbed and extorted the population for decades.
“However, weakening the rule of law and the integrity of the legal system by derogating from fair trial rights is not the answer.”
“At least 68,000 people have been jailed in El Salvador since the state of emergency came into force. Of these, at least 1,600 people are under 18 years of age.”
“According to a recent report by a leading NGO (Cristosal), at least 153 inmates have died in prison since the state of emergency was implemented – nearly half of them violently.”
“Civil society groups doing human rights work and media outlets continue to face risks and attacks.”
In 2022, civil society organizations documented 182 incidents of human rights defenders and journalists being targeted. On 14 April this year, El Faro, an online news outlet, announced that it was moving its staff from El Salvador to Costa Rica, citing the intimidation and smear campaigns they faced because of their work.
“We call on the authorities to lift the state of emergency and review the measures they have introduced. We also call on the authorities to immediately investigate all deaths in custody in line with international standards, to hold those responsible to account, and to guarantee justice and redress for the victims’ family.”
Script in Spanish:
“La reiterada prórroga del estado de excepción en El Salvador -que ya lleva en vigor desde marzo de 2022- es muy preocupante, sobre todo por las consecuencias que tiene para los derechos humanos de las personas.”
“Reconocemos el complejo reto al que se enfrenta El Salvador para hacer frente a la delincuencia, sin embargo, debilitar el Estado de derecho y la integridad del sistema legal derogando el derecho a un juicio justo no es la respuesta.”
Al menos 68.000 personas han sido encarceladas en El Salvador desde que entró en vigor el estado de excepción. De ellas, al menos 1.600 son menores de 18 años.
Según un informe reciente de una destacada ONG al menos 153 reclusos han muerto en prisión desde que se implantó el estado de excepción, casi la mitad de ellos de forma violenta.
Los grupos de la sociedad civil que trabajan en favor de los derechos humanos y los medios de comunicación siguen sufriendo riesgos y ataques.
“Pedimos a las autoridades que levanten el estado de excepción y revisen las medidas que han introducido. También pedimos a las autoridades que investiguen de inmediato todas las muertes bajo custodia conforme a las normas internacionales, que hagan rendir cuentas a los responsables y que garanticen justicia y reparación a los familiares de las víctimas.”
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or
Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org or
Marta Hurtado - + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org
Tag and share
Twitter @UNHumanRights
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights
- Exterior shot: Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The repeated extension of the state of emergency in El Salvador – which has now been in force since March 2022 – is seriously concerning, especially given the consequences for people’s human rights.”
- Cut away: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “However, weakening the rule of law and the integrity of the legal system by derogating from fair trial rights is not the answer.”
- Cut away: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “At least 68,000 people have been jailed in El Salvador since the state of emergency came into force. Of these, at least 1,600 people are under 18 years of age.”
- Cut away: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “According to a recent report by a leading NGO (Cristosal), at least 153 inmates have died in prison since the state of emergency was implemented – nearly half of them violently.”
- Cut away: Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Civil society groups doing human rights work and media outlets continue to face risks and attacks.”
- Cut away: Briefing room.
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “We call on the authorities to lift the state of emergency and review the measures they have introduced. We also call on the authorities to immediately investigate all deaths in custody in line with international standards, to hold those responsible to account, and to guarantee justice and redress for the victims’ family.”
- Exterior shot : Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITES (Spanish)—Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “La reiterada prórroga del estado de excepción en El Salvador -que ya lleva en vigor desde marzo de 2022- es muy preocupante, sobre todo por las consecuencias que tiene para los derechos humanos de las personas.
- Reconocemos el complejo reto al que se enfrenta El Salvador para hacer frente a la delincuencia, sin embargo, debilitar el Estado de derecho y la integridad del sistema legal derogando el derecho a un juicio justo no es la respuesta.
- Al menos 68.000 personas han sido encarceladas en El Salvador desde que entró en vigor el estado de excepción. De ellas, al menos 1.600 son menores de 18 años.
- Según un informe reciente de una destacada ONG al menos 153 reclusos han muerto en prisión desde que se implantó el estado de excepción, casi la mitad de ellos de forma violenta.
- Los grupos de la sociedad civil que trabajan en favor de los derechos humanos y los medios de comunicación siguen sufriendo riesgos y ataques.
- Pedimos a las autoridades que levanten el estado de excepción y revisen las medidas que han introducido. También pedimos a las autoridades que investiguen de inmediato todas las muertes bajo custodia conforme a las normas internacionales, que hagan rendir cuentas a los responsables y que garanticen justicia y reparación a los familiares de las víctimas.”
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said Tuesday UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk was outraged by the repeated large-scale attacks by the Russian Federation on energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN warns against repeating abuses in South Kordofan that occurred in El Fasher.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
Mozambique floods heighten disease, malnutrition risks – UN agencies
Catastrophic flooding in Mozambique is causing massive disruption to lives and livelihoods across the country, increasing the risk of disease and exposing urban areas to crocodiles, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , OHCHR , UNCTAD , UNICEF , UNECE
Rolando Gómez, Chief of Press and External Relations Section, United Nations Information Service (UNIS) at Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the United Nations Trade and Development.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OCHA
Yemen: Children are dying and it’s going to get worse, aid veteran warns
In Yemen, renewed political instability threatens and economic woes linked to the war to complicate the already difficult task of helping vulnerable people suffering from deepening hunger, illness and displacement, the UN's top aid official there said on Monday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , IFRC
Ukraine: Families in ‘survival mode’ amid Russian strikes and -18°C cold
Families across Ukraine are in “constant survival mode” amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while temperatures plunge to a deadly -18°C (-0.4°F), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , UNICEF , IFRC , WFP , WHO , UNHCR
Rolando Gómez, Chief of Press and External Relations Section, UN Information Service at Geneva (UNIS), chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the World Food Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Health Organization.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence urges Iranian authorities to end violent repression and calls for accountability.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Gaza: A ceasefire that ‘still buries children’ is not enough, says UNICEF
Airstrikes, drone strikes and hypothermia are among the lethal conditions prevailing in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with more than 100 children killed since early October, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNICEF , OHCHR , OCHA , WHO , WMO
Michele Zaccheo, Chief, UNTV, Radio and Webcast Section, United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of United Nations Children's Fund, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
At the UN bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Marta Hurtado commented on the widespread repression and intimidation against political opposition ahead of the general elections in Uganda.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA , UNICEF , OHCHR
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, which was attended by spokespersons from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children's Fund and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.