El Salvador has published a new law that will allow authorities to penalise minors as young as 12 with life imprisonment for severe crimes, including homicide, terrorism or rape.

On Tuesday, the Salvadoran government released the law, which is slated to take effect on April 26.

The change is part of a suite of hardline policies designed to stamp out gang violence in El Salvador. But critics have warned that such measures risk perpetuating grave human rights abuses.

Since March 2022, El Salvador has been under a state of emergency that has suspended certain civil liberties in favour of greater police and military powers.

Initially designed to last 30 days, the state of emergency has been renewed dozens of times. And over that time, El Salvador’s government has carried out a campaign of mass arrest and imprisonment.

More than 90,000 people have been imprisoned. Groups like Human Rights Watch estimate that nearly 1.9 per cent of the population is behind bars, one of the highest rates in the world.

Some detainees are held without charges. Others have been processed in mass trials, a process approved in 2023 to allow up to 900 people to be tried at once.

The life sentences for minors was approved as part of a constitutional amendment in March, championed by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. The country’s legislative assembly is overwhelmingly controlled by Bukele’s Nuevas Ideas party.

On social media that month, Bukele denounced the amendment’s opponents as lenient towards violent crime.

“We shall see who supports this amendment, and who will dare to argue that the Constitution should continue to prohibit murderers and rapists from remaining in prison,” he wrote on March 17.

But in the days that followed its passage, groups including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) voiced “deep concern” for the prospect that children could be sentenced to life behind bars.

UNICEF warned that imprisonment could result in severe, long-term consequences on child and adolescent development, and added that such measures were unlikely to reduce crime overall.

“The imposition of life sentences and excessively long detention measures on children and adolescents constitute a contradiction of the standards enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child,” UNICEF wrote in a statement with the Committee on the Rights of the Child, a UN monitor.

“These minimum standards require that children in conflict with the law be treated in a manner that prioritizes their rehabilitation and reintegration.”

The new measure lifts certain legal protections for youth offenders, though it does allow for periodic sentence reviews and the possibility of supervised release.

Human rights monitors have repeatedly called on Bukele and the Salvadoran government to put an end to its state of emergency and related anti-crime measures, arguing they violate fundamental human rights.

Just last month, the International Group of Experts for the Investigation of Human Rights Violations under the State of Emergency in El Salvador (GIPES) published its final report, which alleged that crimes against humanity had been committed over the last four years.

The group pointed to comments from Bukele himself, acknowledging that “at least 8,000 detainees were innocent”.

“The figures speak for themselves,” said Jose Guevara, one of the experts included in the report. “These are not isolated cases, but a policy in which crimes are committed on a large scale and in a systematic manner.” (Al Jazeera)

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India and El Salvador took a significant step forward in their bilateral relations with the visit of Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, to the Central American nation on August 19-20, 2024. The visit marked the launch of crucial pilot projects and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cyber security, signaling a new era of cooperation between the two countries.

During his visit, Minister Margherita met with President Nayib Bukele and Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill Tinoco. The discussions were centered on enhancing cooperation in infrastructure development, trade, and technology.

A key highlight was the launch of three pilot projects developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT). These projects include a Cyber Security initiative, an Early Warning System, and a Cell Broadcasting System.

The Cyber Security project is particularly significant, aiming to bolster El Salvador’s defenses against cyber threats. Meanwhile, the Early Warning and Cell Broadcasting Systems are designed to improve the country’s disaster preparedness and communication during emergencies.

The signing of the MoU on Cyber Security between C-DOT and the Government of El Salvador further solidified this partnership. The MoU paves the way for deeper collaboration in the digital domain, focusing on technology transfer, capacity building, and the sharing of expertise. Minister Margherita during talks highlighted India’s commitment to supporting El Salvador’s development initiatives, particularly in areas that are crucial for the country’s long-term growth and security.

In addition to technological cooperation, the visit also provided an opportunity to strengthen ties in other sectors. Discussions with President Bukele highlighted potential collaborations in infrastructure development and trade, with both sides expressing a strong interest in expanding economic interactions. The visit underscored India’s role as a reliable partner in El Salvador’s journey towards modernization and development.

Following his successful engagements in El Salvador, Minister Margherita traveled to Guatemala from August 17-19, 2024. This visit, the first high-level interaction between India and Guatemala following the formation of new governments in both countries, was aimed at reinforcing the strong bilateral ties between the two nations.

In Guatemala, Minister Margherita met with President César Bernardo Arévalo de León and Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez. The discussions focused on a wide range of issues, including trade, investment, healthcare, and infrastructural development. Both sides expressed a strong desire to further strengthen their cooperation, particularly in areas that could drive economic growth and development in both countries.

Minister Margherita also held a productive meeting with members of the Guatemalan Congress and local mayors, where they discussed the rich parliamentary traditions of both India and Guatemala. The discussions emphasized the importance of enhancing parliamentary exchanges, which could lead to greater understanding and cooperation between the two nations. Additionally, meetings with the Chamber of Industry of Guatemala and the Guatemalan Exporters Association (AGEXPORT) focused on boosting trade and investment opportunities, exploring new areas of collaboration, and promoting economic ties that benefit both nations.

During his visit to both countries, Minister Margherita engaged with the Indian diaspora in Guatemala City and San Salvador. At receptions hosted by the Indian Ambassador, he praised the contributions of the Indian community to the economic and social fabric of these countries.

In addition to the diplomatic and economic discussions, humanitarian cooperation was also a key aspect of Minister Margherita’s visit. In response to the tropical storms that struck El Salvador in June 2024, India provided 50 tons of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) materials. Minister Margherita personally handed over the first installment of these materials to Foreign Minister Hill Tinoco, reaffirming India’s solidarity with the people of El Salvador.

Bottomline

In summary, Margherita’s visit to El Salvador and Guatemala was a significant step forward in strengthening India’s ties with these Central American nations. The launch of key pilot projects in El Salvador, the signing of the MoU on Cyber Security, and the fruitful discussions in Guatemala all point to a future of enhanced cooperation and mutual growth. This visit marks a new chapter in India’s diplomatic and strategic engagements in Central America, reflecting the growing importance of these relationships in India’s global outreach. (Financial Express)

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