Over 70,000 people were arrested in El Salvador over the course of a lengthy lockdown period, with the government now moving to hold mass trials of up to 900 people at a time
By Ewan Gleadow News Reporter
17:06, 29 JUL 2023
Thousands of prisoners could be on trial with one another as part of a new mass court circuit law (Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A country in Central America is wanting to hold mass trials of up to 900 accused gang members with the same verdict.
Legislation to cover the legal proceedings is already underway, following 70,000 people being arrested after President Nayib Bukele declared a state of emergency.
The state of emergency was declared 16 months ago and now government officials are preparing to allow up to 900 defendants to be prosecuted at a time for "illicit association", which sees people charged as part of the same criminal cell.
. . .
Security analyst Jeannette Aguilar, speaking to VICE, warned of the "serious risk" the lockdown period poses to the population and those who are already in confinement.
He said: "This practice is illegal and from every point of view, violates the principle of innocence. It’s abhorrent and represents a serious risk of threat in general to the population."
Aguilar further noted the government changes "are perverse reforms in terms of the violation of fundamental guarantees of due process of human rights".
More:
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/el-salvador-mass-trials-gangs-30583380
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