Schlagwort: Amnesty International

Amnesty International warns that the state of exception extended by the government and reforms to the penal system have undermined the rule of law in El Salvador.

This is due to the consolidation of a repressive apparatus that, instead of impartially delivering justice, is used as a weapon to criminalize human rights defenders and to silence critical voices, exposing them to a prison regime that threatens their personal integrity and their lives.

More than three years after it began, the state of exception, which has already been extended 42 consecutive times, has established a model that gives the appearance of legality to mass detention without evidence, the suspension of judicial guarantees and the imposition of disproportionate terms of administrative detention.

At the same time, legal reforms in criminal matters and criminal procedure have introduced measures such as the concealment of judges’ identity, automatic application of pretrial detention and tougher punishments for children and adolescents. These reforms have been observed by regional and universal human rights bodies, who found that they contravene international standards.

“Instead of impartially delivering justice, the criminal justice system in El Salvador has become a weapon to punish dissent and stifle civic space. Defending human rights or protesting peacefully can cost you your freedom today”, said Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

Instead of impartially delivering justice, the criminal justice system in El Salvador has become a weapon to punish dissent and stifle civic space.  

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

The right to defend rights under attack

Amnesty International has documented how the authorities have made use of broad and ambiguous criminal classifications such as “illegal groups” or “terrorist organizations”, to criminalize community leaders, trade unionists and defenders of the territory and the environment. For their part, local organizations have identified more than 70 cases of this type in which people have been victims of arbitrary detentions, deprived of their liberty and subjected to judicial processes without the guarantees of the rule of law.

Faced with intensifying persecution and criminalization of human rights defenders in July 2025, Amnesty International declared Ruth López, Alejandro Henríquez and José Ángel Pérez prisoners of conscience, determining that they were imprisoned exclusively for their work defending human rights and for peacefully exercising their freedom of expression.

Although neither the original decree of the state of exception nor its extensions envisage its application to people accused of common crimes, in these three cases the organization was able to verify how the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the judicial authorities applied the deadlines and suspension of procedural guarantees, despite the fact that the charges against them are not related to the actions of gangs.

Ruth, Alejandro and José Ángel were all subjected to the extension of administrative detention up to 15 days, and the imposition of pretrial detention without sufficient grounds or effective judicial review. Recently, the court hearing the case of Alejandro and José Ángel, who are being prosecuted for the crimes of resistance and public disorder, decided to extend the investigation phase for an additional three months, without there being, in principle, any new elements to be investigated. This decision violates the right to be tried within a reasonable time and supports the claim that in El Salvador pretrial detention has ceased to be an exceptional measure and become an early punishment, regardless of the crime for which the person is being prosecuted.

In Ruth’s case, arbitrary changes to the crimes being alleged was also verified, as well as the total secrecy of the process. The cases of other criminalized defenders and dissident voices documented by local organizations show similar irregularities.

Prisons as spaces for punishment and torture

The prison situation in El Salvador continues to be alarming: prolonged solitary confinement, extreme overcrowding, lack of timely medical care and the risk of torture characterize the prison system. This impacts not only the criminalized people, but also their families. The case of constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya shows the dangers that a person faces when the system deliberately limits their right to an effective technical defense, aggravating risks even to their health{. His condition has deteriorated in detention. Fidel Zavala, spokesman for UNIDECH, faces a real risk of being subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, in a prison environment characterized by opacity, impunity and the absence of external controls.

“Prolonged solitary confinement and inhumane detention conditions are part of a deliberate strategy to instill fear and break both detainees and the communities they represent. The impact is devastating: self-censorship, reduced activities and an increasingly suffocated civic space”, added Ana Piquer.

Prolonged solitary confinement and inhumane detention conditions are part of a deliberate strategy to instill fear and break both detainees and the communities they represent.  

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

On 23 September 2025, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted precautionary measures to Ruth López and Enrique Anaya, warning that the prolonged solitary confinement and indefinite detention to which they are subjected put their lives, health and integrity at serious risk. The organization demanded that the Salvadoran State immediately cease the isolation and guarantee detention conditions in accordance with international standards.

Amnesty International calls on the Salvadoran authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all persons detained solely for peacefully exercising their human rights. It also urges the authorities to fully and immediately comply with the precautionary measures issued by the IACHR in favor of Ruth López and Enrique Anaya.

Finally, it urgently calls on the international community to intensify its scrutiny of the Salvadoran authorities, in order to curb the misuse of the justice system as a repressive tool.

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Reacting to the news that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal, which reportedly includes the immediate opening of five crossings to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, the rapid release of all living Israeli and other nationals held hostage in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the partial withdrawal of the Israeli military from the occupied Gaza Strip, Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said:  

“For more than 2 million Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip who have faced two years of agonizing suffering, relentless bombardment and systematic starvation amidst Israel’s ongoing genocide, for those held hostage by Palestinian armed groups, and for those arbitrarily detained by Israel, a deal that could a put a stop to the horrors of the past two years is cruelly overdue. However, it will not erase all they have endured. Many will now be watching closely for proof that this is not just another brief respite. 

“A temporary pause or reduction in the scale of attacks and allowing a trickle of humanitarian aid into Gaza is not enough. There must be a full cessation of hostilities and a total lifting of the blockade. Israel must allow the unhindered flow of basic supplies, including food, medicine, fuel and reconstruction material, into all parts of the occupied Gaza Strip, as well as the restoration of essential services, to ensure the survival of a population reeling from starvation, repeated waves of mass forced displacement and a campaign of annihilation. This should be coupled with the withdrawal of the Israeli military from Gaza, and urgent action to rebuild and repair critical infrastructure across the Gaza Strip.  

“All Palestinians who have been internally displaced—most of them multiple times—must be able to return to their land without Israel dictating who can and cannot return. 

“Hamas and other armed groups must release the hostages to finally end the ordeal they have suffered for two years. Israel must release all arbitrarily detained Palestinians, including those held without charge or trial as administrative detainees or unlawful combatants, particularly healthcare workers unjustly detained for caring for their patients.  

After two years of shameful double standards and vetoes that strangled the UN Security Council as a livestreamed genocide is broadcast to the world, it is time to seize the opportunity to end this horror, mend what can be mended and salvage what is left of our shared humanity.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General

“For any lasting ceasefire agreement to succeed it must be firmly rooted in respect for human rights and international law and must include an immediate stop to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, as well as concrete steps to end its unlawful occupation of all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to dismantle the system of apartheid. 

“The current plan—the so-called ‘Trump peace plan’—falls woefully short in this. It fails to demand justice and reparations for victims of atrocity crimes or accountability for perpetrators. Stopping the cycle of suffering and atrocities requires an end to longstanding impunity at the heart of recurring violations in Israel and the OPT. States must uphold their obligations under international law to bring to justice those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.  

“Israel’s plans to impose a ‘security perimeter’ (buffer zone) on Gaza’s most fertile lands would further entrench apartheid and occupation and compound injustice. Any scheme to outsource the occupation of Gaza without ensuring freedom of movement with the rest of the occupied territory will only deepen the territorial fragmentation that underpins Israel’s system of apartheid. In the same vein, any measures altering the geography and demographic composition of other parts of the occupied territory, namely the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, must be immediately reversed.  

“The proposed plan fails to ensure that Palestinians fully and meaningfully participate in all decisions about the future of the OPT, its governance, and the exercise of their rights. A plan that repeats the mistakes and failures of past initiatives that ignored human rights and the root causes of injustice will fail to secure a just and sustainable future for all those living in Israel and the OPT.  

“After two years of shameful double standards and vetoes that strangled the UN Security Council as a livestreamed genocide is broadcast to the world, it is time to seize the opportunity to end this horror, mend what can be mended and salvage what is left of our shared humanity.”  

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Amnesty International is concerned about the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Ecuador, under the administration of President Daniel Noboa.

The seriousness of the situation has worsened in recent days, against a backdrop of protests linked to the National Strike called by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), with multiple complaints of excessive use of force against protesters by the security forces, possible arbitrary arrests, as well as the opening of abusive criminal proceedings and freezing of bank accounts belonging to social leaders and protesters.

Added to this are the executive’s attacks on the Constitutional Court, which put judicial independence at risk, and the lack of cooperation by the armed forces in investigations being carried out by the Public Prosecutor’s Office into dozens of enforced disappearances that occurred in 2024.

“During our recent visit to Ecuador, we received worrying information about actions promoted by the executive that seek to silence dissent and promote impunity. The repression of protests, attacks on the Constitutional Court and the persistence of a militarized security strategy, despite serious human rights violations, place Ecuador on the list of countries in the region that are experiencing a worrying rise in authoritarian practices,” said Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

The repression of protests, attacks on the Constitutional Court and the persistence of a militarized security strategy, despite serious human rights violations, place Ecuador on the list of countries in the region that are experiencing a worrying rise in authoritarian practices. 

Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

Repression of social protest

In recent days, thousands of people have taken to the streets to voice their discontent with many things, including the increase in the price of diesel announced by the executive in September. Various social movements called for a national strike, which led to protests and roadblocks in various provinces of the country. In this context, Amnesty International received information from civil society organisations about a possible excessive use of force against demonstrators by the national police and the armed forces, and dozens of possible arbitrary arrests.

As of 28 September, the Alliance for Human Rights of Ecuador recorded more than 60 people detained and more than 40 injured. On the same day, the death of Efraín Fuerez was reported in the province of Imbabura. According to the INREDH (Regional Human Rights Advisory Foundation), Fuerez reportedly died after being hit by a firearm, allegedly discharged by the armed forces. The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to peaceful assembly and of association noted that the actions of the armed forces in these contexts contradicted international standards and called on the state to establish a safe environment for activism.

In parallel, Amnesty International received information on the opening of allegedly abusive criminal investigations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office against protesters and social leaders, and on the freezing of bank accounts belonging to social leaders and their legal representatives. Of particular concern is the arrest of 12 people in the city of Otavalo, Imbabura province, including 10 Kiwcha Indigenous people, who were charged with terrorism. The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues expressed concern at this situation.

Faced with continuing protests, Amnesty International strongly calls on the Ecuadorian authorities to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and to strictly adhere to the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality in the use of force. Amnesty International also calls for prompt and impartial investigations into possible human rights violations in this context. Finally, the organization urges the authorities to guarantee due process for those detained and to respect the rights of Indigenous people, with whom it should engage in dialogue to address their legitimate demands.

Retaliation against the Constitutional Court

For several months, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador has faced a campaign by the executive and its cabinet that seeks to delegitimize the judges who make up this court and position them as “enemies of the people”. In August, the court announced the temporary suspension of certain articles of three laws promoted by President Noboa on security and transparency, while ruling on their constitutionality. As a result of this development, the judges of the court have been subjected to harassment, attacks and public stigmatization.

In August, giant banners were installed showing the faces of the judges and accusing them of “stealing peace” from the country. The president called for a march against the court and ordered the deployment of the armed forces around its premises. In September, a bomb threat was received at the court’s premises, forcing the judges and their team to leave the site. Likewise, members of the court have reported receiving threats about criminal proceedings against them, in retaliation for their work, and having their communications hacked.

These attacks have been widely condemned by the international community, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Amnesty International warns that these actions represent a serious threat to judicial independence in Ecuador. We call on the state to ensure that judges, as well as all justice personnel, can exercise their functions free of political pressure and in safety.

Enforced disappearances remain unpunished

In the report “It was the military. I saw them”, released on 23 September, Amnesty International concluded that the armed forces have committed enforced disappearances in the context of President Noboa’s militarized security strategy, known as the “Plan Fénix”. The organization documented the enforced disappearance of 10 people, including six children, which occurred in five security operations carried out by the armed forces during 2024 in the provinces of Esmeraldas, Guayas, and Los Rios, on the Ecuadorian coast. These are not isolated cases. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, since the beginning of President Noboa’s administration at the end of 2023, there have been reports of 43 possible enforced disappearances.

Despite the fact that these disappearances occurred months ago, the victims’ families are still calling for justice, since the cases continue to go unpunished. Only in the case of the four children from the Falklands, who disappeared and were later found dead in December 2024, have the possible perpetrators been arrested – 17 soldiers who are in pretrial detention. The main obstacle to the progress of the investigations has been the lack of cooperation from the armed forces, which have repeatedly refused to provide information requested by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, claiming “confidentiality”.

Amnesty International reminds the Ecuadorian authorities that the enforced disappearance of people is an international crime that entails the obligation to promptly and thoroughly investigate the facts, and to search for the victims, allowing the participation of their families. In this regard, we reiterate our call for the armed forces to collaborate with the investigations and for all authorities to guarantee the protection of the victims’ families. We also call on President Noboa to completely reverse the militarized approach to public security that has facilitated the commission of these serious human rights violations.

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Tanzanian authorities must immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of a former Tanzanian ambassador to Cuba, Humphrey Polepole, who may have been forcibly disappeared. They must also ensure his safety and bring those responsible for his abduction and possible assault to justice through fair and transparent legal processes, Amnesty International said today.

Amnesty International is deeply alarmed that Humphrey Polepole might have been forcibly disappeared and possibly assaulted. The Tanzanian government must put every effort into locating him and bringing him back to safety. They must hold his abductors accountable.

Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

Humphrey Polepole’s family said they were alerted about a break-in on the morning of 6 October 2025 at the Dar es Salaam residence of the former diplomat and outspoken government critic. Upon arrival, they found the door broken, electrical wires cut, and a significant amount of blood at the scene. Videos and images shared by the family appear to corroborate these claims, showing clear signs of a violent struggle.

“Amnesty International is deeply alarmed that Humphrey Polepole might have been forcibly disappeared and possibly assaulted. The Tanzanian government must put every effort into locating him and bringing him back to safety. They must hold his abductors accountable,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa.

The incident comes less than three months after Polepole reported that his sister had been abducted from her home in Bahari Beach, Dar es Salaam, on 17 July 2025. She was beaten and later dumped back at her home the next day, in the night.

This case adds to a growing list of enforced disappearances and attacks on government critics in Tanzania, raising serious concerns about authoritarian practices in the country and increasing political repression ahead of Tanzania’s general elections, scheduled for 29 October 2025.

Far too many people have disappeared in Tanzania, over the recent years without any accountability. Authorities must bring this impunity to an end.

Tigere Chagutah

Polepole, once a senior figure in the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, resigned from his diplomatic post earlier in 2025 after publicly criticizing the government for its disregard of justice, the rule of law, and constitutional principles.

“Far too many people have disappeared in Tanzania, over the recent years without any accountability. Authorities must bring this impunity to an end,” Tigere Chagutah said.

Polepole’s family reported the incident to Mbezi Police Station on 6 October, and his lawyer filed a habeas corpus application in court on 7 October 2025. Family members told Amnesty International that during a police investigation into Polepole’s case, officers took several items from his home, including his printer and safe.

Police spokesperson David Misime said Polepole had been summoned to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over allegations made on social media but had failed to comply. Authorities say they are working to verify the authenticity of the abduction claims.

Background

Tanzanian security forces have been repeatedly implicated in a pattern of enforced disappearances in the country. In June 2025, UN human rights experts called on the Tanzanian government to “immediately stop the enforced disappearance of political opponents, human rights defenders and journalists, as a tool of repression in the electoral context.” Victims are often taken by unidentified individuals with the support or acquiescence of state officials, with authorities subsequently refusing to acknowledge their detention or disclose their fate or whereabouts—hallmarks of enforced disappearance under international law.

Among those still missing are Anthony Gabriel, Daniel Chonchorio, Deusdedith Soka, Dioniz Kipanya, Fakih Ali Salim, Frank Mbise, Jacob Mlay, Mdude Nyagali, Shadrack Chaula, Sinda Mseti, and Siza Mwita Keheta. Their continued disappearance underscores the urgent need for accountability and transparency from Tanzanian authorities.

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