Throughout the start of Nayib Bukele’s second presidency, the harassment, persecution and conviction of human rights defenders, journalists, activists, key voices and civil society organizations. In this case, Today International calls attorney Ruth López, environmental guard Alejandro Henríquez, and pastor and community leader Joséángel Pérez a prisoner of conscience and demands their immediate and unconditional release.
“These detentions are not isolated incidents. They are part of the systemic crime model that aims to silence those who condemn abuse, demand justice and demand transparency in public administration. In recent weeks, the reinforcement of this model has been a clear warning sign for the Nayib Bukele government to demolish civic spaces,”
These detentions are not isolated incidents. They are part of a systematic conviction model that seeks to silence those who condemn abuse, demand justice and demand transparency in public administration.
Agnès Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International.
“To call Ruth, Alejandro and José Sengel the conscience prisoners is an act of condemnation, a manifestation of the solidarity of the human rights defenders and civil society organizations of El Salvadors. It is also an urgent call to the international community for the use of all possible people to defend this authority of human rights and demands that the crime and the right to the crime be followed, and to comply with the right to the crime to achieve the right to litigation, organizations, independent media and journalists.”
Amnesty International designated a person as a prisoner of conscience only after rigorously scrutinizing its detention. This status is granted to individuals who are merely for the peaceful expression of their own thoughts, exercise their rights, or are deprived of their liberty because of their identity (such as their racial origin, religion, sexual orientation, or other characteristics protected by international human rights law), such as the use or incitement of violence or hatred.
Ruth Lópezattorney and head of the anti-corruption and justice department of Cristosals was arrested on May 18, 2025 on initial allegations of embezzlement of public funds. Subsequently, 15 days after her arrest, the Attorney General’s Office converted the charges into illegal abundance. According to Amnesty International, there is no evidence that she has any reasonable doubts about her involvement in these crimes. She was detained in violation of fair trial standards and judicial confidentiality, which was widely condemned by international organizations as well as regional and universal protection mechanisms.
Ruth is known both at home and internationally for anti-corruption and defense of the rule of law. In 2024, the BBC named her one of the 100 most influential women in the world.
Alejandro HenríquezA lawyer and environmental defender was arrested on May 13, 2025 for participating in a peaceful protest of forced evictions faced by the El Bosque community, home to more than 300 families. Since his arrest, he has been denied immediate and full access to his legal defense or information about his situation.
After the judge decided to impose six months of pretrial detention, Alejandro was transferred to Las Perranza prison, where he is now incarcerated, facing the risk of extreme crowding and cruel, inhuman or depraved treatment, including torture.
Joséángel Pérezan evangelical pastor, day laborer and president of El Bosque cooperative were arrested on the same day of peaceful protests and the same incident as Alejandro. He has served as a community leader and has helped his parishioners fight for rights for more than 25 years. His conviction was another attempt to dissuade rural communities from collective action.
Jose and Alejandro were charged with public obstacles and resistance, although, according to Amnesty International, prosecutors failed to show that they had reasonable doubts about their participation in these crimes.
From institutional collaboration to mass arrests and selective crime policies
Without previous structural reforms of President Bucker and the Legislative Assembly (controlled by the ruling party), the criminal justice system would not be possible – these reforms gradually dismantle the cessation and balance of institutions. One of the most symbolic measures is the irregular dismissal of the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber and the Attorney General in May 2021. Most importantly, the reform approved September approval, which forced mandatory retirement of hundreds of judges and prosecutors over 60 without appointing their replacements through transparent procedures or based on technical standards, seriously undermining the independence of the judiciary.
As exceptional states are established, institutional capture deepens, the state has been continuously effective and expanded with more than 39 times; without proper evaluation or discussion, and without internal counterweights, it has the potential to become the new norm. In this case, under the official discussion of the gang struggle, several reforms have been approved to systematically erode due process guarantees. In fact, the right to conduct a fair trial in El Salvador has been demolished, replacing a legal framework that allows and proves arbitrary detention, large-scale hearings, the use of a retained judge to use excessively restrict effective right to defend, and the elimination of restrictions on pre-trial restrictions, and so on. This new regulatory framework has resulted in more than 86,000 detentions, causing unprecedented prison crisis and torture of avalanches, avalanches of cruel and inhuman treatment, and the number of deaths in state custody to date remained under-study.
Considering the weaponization of the weaponization that criminalizes it with exceptions and the authoritarian practices imposed by President Buckley, Amnesty International and local human rights organizations have warned that in this case, the risks and risks of human rights defenders and key voices suffered in this case increase. As of March 2024, local organizations have reported 34 such cases, including mothers searching for missing relatives.
“Salvador is at a turning point. The return reforms submitted and approved by the judiciary have enabled the Berkle government to build an institutional and regulatory building designed to legalize control, suppression and crime for the poor in life. Regulations, he sought to consolidate the systemic silence of the international community.
El Salvador is at the tipping point. The submission of the judiciary and the approval of the return reform led the Berkle government to establish an institutional and regulatory building designed to enable people in life to control, suppress and criminalize poverty and express dissent.
Ana Piquer, Director of Americas International, Americas.
Continuous escalation and a law that silences civil society
Attacks against human rights defenders and journalists have seen a significant increase in recent years, with 100 recorded cases in 2020 and 182 cases in 2021 and 2022, according to defender Mesa Por El Derecho. Attacks in 2023, this attack rose to 226 attacks in 2023, with an increase of 2020 in 2024-2020 and 2020 in 2020.
Recent approval of foreign agent laws consolidates the trend of closure of citizen space in El Salvador. The law imposes arbitrary restrictions on the rights to freedom of association and freedom of expression, including a 30% tax on international funds of NGOs and allows them to be dissolved, even creating the possibility of criminal sanctions. Given the context of institutional cooperation and the lack of independent appeal mechanisms, the law is in fact a tool for selective persecution of civil society organizations, and a critical voice demanding accountability.
Today, the identities of three conscience prisoners recognized by Amnesty International clearly reflect the actors targeted by the Bucker administration: community organizers, environmental and territorial defenders, and anyone who condemns human rights violations or demands transparency.
Therefore, these names can also serve as recognition of all persons facing unfair crimes in El Salvador, or living under constant threats of surveillance, harassment and ongoing prosecution. Therefore, Amnesty International also hopes to express solidarity with other convicted victims, whose cases embody this repressive pattern.
Amnesty International urges the El Salvador authorities to immediately and unconditionally release those appointed prisoners of conscience today and to stop abuse of the criminal system to persecute those who exercise their rights peacefully. The organization reiterates that under no circumstances can anyone deprive it of its freedom Incommunicado Detention, or loss of family access or the right to contact legal defense. These minimum guarantees do not constitute special treatment, but are fundamental state obligations under international human rights law. Finally, Amnesty International calls for the repeal of suppressive laws such as the Foreign Agents Act, an exceptional measure that leads to human rights violations and the restoration of due process and judicial independence.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact the International News Office: [email protected]
