On March 27, El Salvador’s legislative assembly approved legislation allowing those under the age of 18 to serve life sentences for murder, rape and terrorism.
The move came just weeks after the Nayib Bukele regime amended the constitution to permit life sentences for adults, part of its hallmark iron fist approach to crime.
The extension of penalties marks a significant escalation in the severity...
Patterns detected: ARC-0043 Motte-and-Bailey, ARC-0024 Ambiguity. The new law raises ethical and legal concerns by eliminating special juvenile procedures and potentially disproportionately targeting children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. While President Bukele's hardline policies have been credited with reducing homicide rates, the implementation has been controversial due to reports of detaining individuals based on tenuous evidence, including their socio-economic status. This could l...