El Salvador's State of Emergency Leads to Severe Child Rights Violations

Human Rights Watch reports abuse and arbitrary detention of children under President Bukele's anti-gang policies.

Children from low-income communities face torture, overcrowding, and lack of basic needs in detention.
Over 3,000 children have been detained, often without evidence, since the emergency began in March 2022.
Many children have been coerced into confessions through mistreatment and unfair trials.
Authorities have failed to protect detained children from violence and denied them access to legal and familial support.
Human Rights Watch urges the government to adopt rights-respecting policies and foreign governments to raise concerns.