Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a strong condemnation of the El Salvadorian government, highlighting concerns over the forcible disappearances and arbitrary detentions of Salvadorans deported from the United States. Particularly alarming are the cases from mid-March to mid-October 2025, where 11 Salvadoran men deported were reportedly held without contact with relatives or legal counsel. Interviews conducted with their families and attorneys revealed no evidence of these individuals being presented before a judge. Families often found themselves stonewalled when attempting to secure information about the detainees’ whereabouts or the reasons for their detention. El Salvadoran officials, it was reported, frequently cited either a lack of legal mandate or an absence of records for the detainees when pressed for details.
HRW’s American director, Juanita Goebertus, expressed grave concerns over these developments, stressing that regardless of any criminal history these men might have, their rights to due process and fair legal representation remain inviolable. Each individual should be presented before a judge, and their families must be informed of their location and the charges levied against them.
Since the outset of 2025, the deportation of over 9,000 Salvadorans from the United States to El Salvador has raised red flags, particularly concerning the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT). This mega prison has earned notoriety for its alleged abusive conditions. Reports have surfaced detailing inhumane conditions faced by deportees sent to this facility, including instances of torture, arbitrary detention, and incommunicado imprisonment.
The issue of enforced disappearance is not just a procedural concern but a severe violation of international human rights norms. As defined by the 2006 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, such acts involve the denial of recognition and protection of the disappeared, effectively placing them outside the ambit of the law. While El Salvador has not signed this Convention, it remains a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which similarly criminalizes enforced disappearance.
This distressing situation unfolds within the context of El Salvador’s state of emergency, ongoing since 2022. This state of emergency has controversially permitted the suspension of fundamental due process rights, including the right to be informed of charges and the requirement to be presented before a judge within 72 hours of arrest.
The unfolding developments in El Salvador underscore critical concerns about the balance between national security measures and fundamental human rights. Further information on these issues can be explored through this coverage and similar reports from reputable outlets.