El Salvador likely committed crimes against humanity during state of emergency, jurists say

A group of international jurists on Tuesday accused Salvadoran authorities of committing crimes against humanity in a report filed with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The complaint alleges systematic acts of torture, murder, and forced disappearances under the country's controversial state of exception, which the government of President Nayib Bukele imposed four years ago on March.

The report claims there are "reasonable grounds" to believe crimes against humanity, as defined by Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), are occurring.

It alleges the violations are part of a state policy "known and even promoted by the highest levels of President Nayib Bukele's government."

President Bukele's government first implemented the state of exception on March 27, 2022, to combat a wave of gang violence that left 87 people dead in one weekend.

Under the emergency decree, authorities have detained over 90,000 people, and approximately 500 of those detainees have died in state custody.

Homicides have fallen by more than 90% since Bukele took office, according to government figures.

Salvadoran Public Defender General Rene Escobar denied the claims, saying the government rejects any policy of "forced disappearance, torture, sexual violence, or arbitrary executions."