Human Rights Watch (HRW) has published a report scrutinizing the medical treatment and subsequent investigation into the death of Alejandro Muyshondt, former security advisor to the Salvadoran government. Muyshondt died under controversial circumstances this February while in custody following charges related to drug trafficking levied against him in August of the previous year. The report contends that his medical records contained significant gaps and inconsistencies, suggesting a lack of adequate diagnostic and investigative processes by the medical staff involved.
Juanita Goebertus Estrada, director of HRW in America, commented on the systemic issues highlighted by the expert analysis, drawing attention to broader human rights violations in El Salvador. Estrada emphasized the need for increased scrutiny of the nation’s human rights record, given the patterns identified in their findings. These patterns of concern are in line with HRW’s observations about the practices in the country, detailed further in their report on El Salvador.
The investigation was conducted by the Independent Forensic Expert Group, composed of 42 experts from 23 countries. They brought attention not only to the flawed medical assessment but to the circumstances surrounding Muyshondt’s arrest, which occurred after he made serious allegations against members of the government, including accusations against a lawmaker loyal to President Nayib Bukele and the press secretary. Following these accusations, Muyshondt was arrested on charges reportedly related to falsifying documents and was kept largely incommunicado.
Muyshondt’s enforced disappearance, coupled with the inadequate responses by state authorities regarding his demise, underscores the need for a deeper investigation into the human rights situation in El Salvador. Criticism continues to mount against the country amid its “war on gangs,” launched in 2022, which has resulted in extensive mass incarcerations and concerns about wrongful imprisonment. Human rights groups, such as Cristosal, have documented over 250 detainee deaths since the campaign commenced. This has prompted the United Nations Human Rights Council to include El Salvador in its upcoming Universal Periodic Review. The full article can be viewed here.