El Salvador’s Congress has approved a law allowing minors convicted of serious gang-related crimes to be housed in adult prisons, though in separate areas. The move is part of President Nayib Bukele’s ongoing crackdown on organized crime.
The new law applies to children under 18 who are gang members convicted of major crimes, including:
✔ Homicide
✔ Kidnapping
✔ Arms trafficking
📢 "This will prevent them from receiving the same criminal treatment as those who have committed less serious crimes," Congress said in a statement.
Why It Matters
Since 2022, Bukele’s government has implemented a state of emergency, suspending constitutional rights and introducing mass trials. His administration has also built a mega-prison to house thousands of detainees.
Rights groups allege that prisoners, including minors, have been tortured, though the government denies these claims.
Meanwhile, the United States is assessing a plan to send U.S. citizens convicted of crimes to Salvadoran prisons.
By the Numbers
📊 Official figures on detained minors remain scarce, but:
1,065 minors were convicted under El Salvador’s state of emergency (as of February 2023).
More than 3,300 children were detained between March 2022 and December 2023, according to Human Rights Watch.
Before the crackdown, the annual average for minors in juvenile detention centers was 805 (2018-2021).
What’s Next?
El Salvador’s hardline security policies continue to draw international scrutiny, with human rights concerns clashing against the government’s claim of restoring order.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 15 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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Senior officials from the United States and China met in Paris this week for a new round of trade talks, as the world’s two largest economies attempt to manage their economic rivalry and avoid further tensions.
Court documents released on Monday (16 March) revealed that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has asked a U.S. judge to dismiss President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation suit over a 2024 documentary, arguing his re-election proves the edited 2021 speech did not harm his reputation.
Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Friday (13 March), according to Poland’s Operational Command.
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