El Salvador: Humanitarian Legal Relief reports more than 500 deaths in state custody

Published at: 30/03/2026 11:56 AM

The organization Humanitarian Legal Relief (SJH) confirmed the death of at least 504 people in prisons in El Salvador between April 2022 and March 2026, under the emergency regime of the government of Nayib Bukele.

The technical report warns that, due to official secrecy, there is serious underreporting and the real number of deaths could rise to 2,000 cases. According to the document, 90% of the confirmed victims had no ties to gangs, evidencing a critical margin of error in state security policy.

SJH investigations reveal a scenario of extreme overcrowding and denial of medical assistance, complemented by testimonies from family members who report having received bodies with obvious signs of physical violence and torture.

This crisis has attracted the scrutiny of the United Nations (UN), whose experts this month pointed to the possible commission of crimes against humanity resulting from the prolonged suspension of constitutional guarantees. To date, the emergency regime has a total of 91,650 arrests.

The report details a worrying erosion of due process, pointing out that 98% of the complaints received relate to arbitrary arrests. The report also identifies the National Civil Police (PNC) as the main actor in these violations, being involved in 75% of the abuses reported during the operations.

The data suggest a systematic violation of human rights where the presumption of innocence has been displaced by mass arrests without prior investigation.

Finally, international pressure on the Bukele administration continues to increase due to the lack of transparency in the management of prisons. The organization urges the opening of independent auditing channels to verify the health status of prisoners and stop the number of deaths in custody, which continues to rise as long as judicial guarantees remain suspended.

Mazo News Team