On October 10, an international group of lawyers has accused the government of El Salvador, led by President Nayib Bukele, of committing serious human rights violations in the ongoing war against gangs. The accusations include allegations of torture and enforced disappearances amidst the government's state of emergency, which has allowed for mass arrests without judicial warrants. Over the past four years, nearly 90,000 individuals have been detained, with around 8,000 released due to insufficient evidence.

The reported violations of human rights have garnered significant attention from the legal and human rights community, with Ignacio Jovtis, the director for Latin America of the NGO InterJust, stating that there are reasonable grounds to believe that these actions fall under the category of crimes against humanity. This assessment was presented in a report by the group at a session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH) in Guatemala City, emphasizing the importance of international scrutiny on the human rights situation in El Salvador.

Bukele's government has defended its hardline approach to combat gang violence, arguing that it is necessary to restore security in El Salvador, which has a high homicide rate linked to gang activity. However, the accusations from international legal experts raise pressing concerns over the balance between security measures and the protection of human rights, which could have significant implications for the rule of law and democratic governance in the country if not addressed promptly.