Children ‘tortured, abused’ in El Salvador’s prisons: Report
Al JazeeraJul 20
Report: Children Abused in El Salvador's Prisons
Image copyright: Handout/Presidencia El Salvador/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
According to a Human Rights Watch report published Tuesday, over 60 children in El Salvador have been arbitrarily detained and abused in the two years since the government declared a state of emergency to combat criminal gangs.
The report alleges that El Salvadorian police rounded up 3,319 children and teenagers between March 2022 and April 2024, when the emergency was introduced that suspended certain civil rights and allowed arrests without a warrant.
The Spin
Narrative A
Bukele's state of emergency and his indiscriminate detention policies are a human rights nightmare. Thousands of innocent children from vulnerable communities are being unrightfully detained and charged with crimes they didn't commit. Many of these children are being housed and tortured in inhumane conditions. These policies need to end, and more care needs to be taken to protect the rights of children in El Salvador.
Narrative B
Bukele is a hero. For decades, El Salvador has been a criminal hellscape run by gangs. This state of emergency has finally taken control back into the hands of the government and the people, bringing back down the murder rate and making it a safer country. While more should be done to make sure children aren't accidentally swept up in these raids, these policies must continue as they make El Salvador a better country.