A group of international jurists yesterday, accused the government of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele of committing crimes against humanity, including torture and disappearances, in its war against gangs. The offensive has unfolded under a state of emergency that allows arrests without a judicial warrant and that, in nearly four years, has sent about 90,000 people to prison, of whom some 8,000 were later released for lack of evidence.
There are reasonable grounds to believe that, within the framework of the state of emergency, crimes against humanity have been committed, said Ignacio Jovtis, Latin America director for the NGO InterJust, when presenting the report by five experts. The GIPES report was presented during a hearing in the session period of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Guatemala City.
GIPES stands for the International Group of Women and Men Experts for the Investigation of Human Rights Violations in the context of the State of Emergency in El Salvador, a body made up of international jurists. The crimes include imprisonments that violate international law, including the detention of children, as well as torture, killings, forced disappearances, sexual violence, persecution, and other inhumane acts, the group added in a statement.
At the hearing, Salvadoran Vice Foreign Minister Adriana Mira rejected the accusations and said that in her country there are no forced disappearances nor anything resembling them. The report adds to a recent complaint by the well-known Salvadoran NGO Cristosal, which moved its operations to Guatemala citing government persecution, that Bukele has 86 political prisoners.
The government has promoted campaigns of stigmatization and criminalization against civil society and the press, GIPES said, backed by the International Federation for Human Rights and the International Commission of Jurists. Data drawn from official and independent reports, as well as from victims, point to 403 deaths in state custody, including four children, and 540 cases of forced disappearance under the state of emergency, the group said.
These are not isolated cases, but rather a policy in which crimes are committed on a large scale and in a systematic way, José Guevara, a humanitarian law specialist and part of the group that prepared the report, added in a statement. Bukele’s war on gangs has reduced violence to historic lows in El Salvador and turned the right-wing leader into one of the most popular presidents in his country and in Latin America.
But his strategy, symbolized by a mega-prison for gang members, has also been criticized because it led to the concentration of all branches of state power, which in 2025 allowed him to establish indefinite reelection.
Facts Only
A group of international jurists accused the Salvadoran government of crimes against humanity, including torture and disappearances, in its anti-gang campaign.
The accusations were presented in a report by the International Group of Women and Men Experts for the Investigation of Human Rights Violations (GIPES).
The report was discussed during a hearing at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Guatemala City.
The state of emergency in El Salvador has allowed arrests without judicial warrants.
Approximately 90,000 people have been imprisoned under the state of emergency, with about 8,000 later released due to lack of evidence.
The GIPES report alleges crimes such as arbitrary detentions, torture, killings, forced disappearances, and sexual violence.
Salvadoran Vice Foreign Minister Adriana Mira denied the accusations, stating there are no forced disappearances in the country.
The report cites 403 deaths in state custody, including four children, and 540 cases of forced disappearances.
President Nayib Bukele’s anti-gang policies have reduced violence to historic lows.
Bukele’s government has been criticized for concentrating state power, enabling his indefinite reelection in 2025.
The Salvadoran NGO Cristosal has accused Bukele of holding 86 political prisoners.
The government has been accused of stigmatizing civil society and the press.
Executive Summary
A group of international jurists has accused the Salvadoran government, led by President Nayib Bukele, of committing crimes against humanity during its crackdown on gangs. The allegations include torture, forced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions under a state of emergency that has been in place for nearly four years. During this period, approximately 90,000 people have been imprisoned, with around 8,000 later released due to insufficient evidence. The accusations were presented in a report by the International Group of Women and Men Experts for the Investigation of Human Rights Violations (GIPES) during a hearing at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Guatemala City.
The Salvadoran government, represented by Vice Foreign Minister Adriana Mira, has denied the claims, asserting there are no forced disappearances in the country. However, the report cites data indicating 403 deaths in state custody, including four children, and 540 cases of forced disappearances under the state of emergency. While Bukele’s policies have significantly reduced gang-related violence, critics argue they have also centralized state power, enabling his recent move to allow indefinite reelection. The government’s approach has drawn both praise for improving security and condemnation for alleged human rights abuses.
Full Take
The strongest version of this narrative highlights a critical tension between security and human rights in El Salvador. President Bukele’s crackdown on gangs has undeniably reduced violence, making him popular both domestically and regionally. However, the allegations of systemic human rights abuses—backed by international jurists and NGOs—paint a darker picture of state overreach, including arbitrary detentions, torture, and forced disappearances. The government’s denial of these claims, coupled with its consolidation of power, raises questions about accountability and the rule of law.
Patterns detected: ARC-0024 Ambiguity (government denial vs. detailed allegations), ARC-0043 Motte-and-Bailey (security gains used to justify broader power concentration).
The root cause appears to be a paradigm of security-first governance, where short-term stability is prioritized over long-term democratic norms. This echoes historical patterns in Latin America, where authoritarian measures have been justified by crises, often leading to erosion of civil liberties. The implications are profound: while citizens may benefit from reduced violence, the cost includes potential loss of freedoms, judicial independence, and trust in institutions.
Key questions emerge: Can security and human rights coexist in this context? What safeguards are needed to prevent abuse under emergency powers? How might Bukele’s popularity influence regional attitudes toward authoritarianism?
If this were part of a coordinated influence campaign, the playbook might involve amplifying security successes while dismissing human rights concerns as politically motivated. However, the presence of detailed reports from independent bodies suggests a genuine debate rather than a manufactured narrative.
Sentinel — Human
The article shows strong signs of human authorship, with natural stylistic variation, specific attributions, and no red flags for synthetic generation.