Nearly 500 Suspected Gang Members Face Mass Trial in El Salvador, Raising Concerns from Human Rights Groups
In El Salvador, prosecutors have initiated a mass joint trial against nearly 500 suspected members of the MS-13 gang. Human rights organizations have expressed concern that this approach may violate the defendants' right to a fair defense.
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- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 12:07
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San Salvador, 21st (Comprehensive Foreign Report) — Salvadoran prosecutors yesterday began a massive joint trial for nearly 500 suspected members of the MS-13 gang, accusing them of crimes including murder, extortion, and arms trafficking. Human rights groups have criticized the practice, warning it risks violating the defendants' right to self-defense.
Associated Press reports that such mass trials are part of President Nayib Bukele's iron-fisted crackdown on gangs. El Salvador has been under a state of emergency for four consecutive years to combat organized crime.
Juan Pappier, deputy director for the Americas at Human Rights Watch, told the AP, 'These mass trials lack basic due process guarantees, thus increasing the risk of innocent people being wrongly convicted, people who have no connection to the gangs that have terrorized the country for decades.'
According to Salvadoran government data, the 486 defendants are accused of being MS-13 members and of orchestrating over 47,000 criminal activities between 2012 and 2022. The charges also include femicide and forced disappearance.
Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado stated on social media, 'For years, this organization operated systematically, causing fear and grief to countless Salvadoran families.'
El Salvador once had one of the highest homicide rates in the world, with 103 homicides per 100,000 people in 2015. Since Bukele took office in 2019, government statistics show a sharp decline in the homicide rate, but human rights groups argue that Bukele's methods violate due process.
Irene Cuéllar, a researcher for Central America at Amnesty International, said in a statement today that mass trials 'raise serious questions about the implementation of due process guarantees, including the right to an individual defense, the presumption of innocence, and adequate legal assistance.'
Since entering a 'state of exception' in March 2022, El Salvador has suspended several fundamental rights, including the right to be informed of the reason for detention and the right to legal counsel. Security forces can also intercept communications without a court order, and the period of pre-trial detention has been extended from 72 hours to 15 days.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights stated in a release today that it remains highly concerned about the 'impact on human rights of the unjustified and excessively prolonged state of exception' in El Salvador and called on the government to end the measure.
When El Salvador first held such a mass trial last March, 52 members of the 'Barrio 18' gang were sentenced, with the longest sentence being 245 years. In another mass trial last November, a court convicted 45 members of the 'Barrio 18 Sureños' of multiple crimes and sentenced one leader to 397 years in prison.
Since the state of emergency began, authorities say they have arrested about 91,300 people suspected of belonging to or being associated with gangs.
Human rights groups claim thousands have been arbitrarily detained during the state of emergency and have received over 6,000 complaints from victims. At least 500 people have died in official custody. Bukele has acknowledged that at least 8,000 innocent people were arrested but have since been released.
Cuéllar stated, 'Justice is not only about punishing the guilty, but also about protecting the innocent from being wrongly accused or convicted.' (Translation: Lu Ying-tzu) 1150422
Associated Press reports that such mass trials are part of President Nayib Bukele's iron-fisted crackdown on gangs. El Salvador has been under a state of emergency for four consecutive years to combat organized crime.
Juan Pappier, deputy director for the Americas at Human Rights Watch, told the AP, 'These mass trials lack basic due process guarantees, thus increasing the risk of innocent people being wrongly convicted, people who have no connection to the gangs that have terrorized the country for decades.'
According to Salvadoran government data, the 486 defendants are accused of being MS-13 members and of orchestrating over 47,000 criminal activities between 2012 and 2022. The charges also include femicide and forced disappearance.
Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado stated on social media, 'For years, this organization operated systematically, causing fear and grief to countless Salvadoran families.'
El Salvador once had one of the highest homicide rates in the world, with 103 homicides per 100,000 people in 2015. Since Bukele took office in 2019, government statistics show a sharp decline in the homicide rate, but human rights groups argue that Bukele's methods violate due process.
Irene Cuéllar, a researcher for Central America at Amnesty International, said in a statement today that mass trials 'raise serious questions about the implementation of due process guarantees, including the right to an individual defense, the presumption of innocence, and adequate legal assistance.'
Since entering a 'state of exception' in March 2022, El Salvador has suspended several fundamental rights, including the right to be informed of the reason for detention and the right to legal counsel. Security forces can also intercept communications without a court order, and the period of pre-trial detention has been extended from 72 hours to 15 days.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights stated in a release today that it remains highly concerned about the 'impact on human rights of the unjustified and excessively prolonged state of exception' in El Salvador and called on the government to end the measure.
When El Salvador first held such a mass trial last March, 52 members of the 'Barrio 18' gang were sentenced, with the longest sentence being 245 years. In another mass trial last November, a court convicted 45 members of the 'Barrio 18 Sureños' of multiple crimes and sentenced one leader to 397 years in prison.
Since the state of emergency began, authorities say they have arrested about 91,300 people suspected of belonging to or being associated with gangs.
Human rights groups claim thousands have been arbitrarily detained during the state of emergency and have received over 6,000 complaints from victims. At least 500 people have died in official custody. Bukele has acknowledged that at least 8,000 innocent people were arrested but have since been released.
Cuéllar stated, 'Justice is not only about punishing the guilty, but also about protecting the innocent from being wrongly accused or convicted.' (Translation: Lu Ying-tzu) 1150422