The rapporteurs are calling for the abolition of the exception system. /DEM
United Nations (UN) experts on Monday called for the end of El Salvador’s emergency regime, saying “the government cannot trample on the right to a fair trial in the name of security.”
They criticized conditions such as hearings of up to 500 people, three to four minutes of public defense for 400 to 500 detainees at a time, and large virtual trials that “undermine the exercise of defense and the presumption of innocence.” accused of violating legitimate rights. process. ”, the faceless judge and reference witness.
One of the requirements for the government in applying the emergency system is that people “not be arrested on the mere suspicion of belonging to or associated with a gang without sufficient legal authorization.” be.
More than 67,000 people are detained in conditions that threaten serious breaches of due process. Margaret Satterthwaite, UN/Independent Rapporteur.judiciary
Controversy.
According to Humanitarian Legal Aid, as of May 10, out of a total of 250 complaints, 144 detainees had died due to lack of medical care or murder, 92% of whom were acquitted. The organization reports that 20,000 people have been arbitrarily detained, 4,000 of whom have been released, citing “unofficial” internal sources in the National Civil Police, Humanitarian Legal Aid’s Ingrid Escobar said Mr.
Minister of Justice and Security Gustavo Villatro said more than 68,000 “terrorists” had been captured and 5,000 released during the application of the emergency regime, but these releases fell within the reported numbers. It didn’t go into detail about whether it would be included. number of arrests.
Unofficial sources from the police say there are ‘more innocents’ as they are being held for quotas. ” Ingrid Escobar, Humanitarian Legal Aid
Defense Minister Rene Merino Monroy has asserted that detentions in the emergency regime are based on gang records shared with the military.
“With these records, we can determine or know if the person being intervened is a gang member,” he said at the April 2023 Legislative Assembly.
Source: Diario Elmundo
