The measure, which has allowed more than 52,000 suspected gang members to be detained without a court order, suspends freedom of association and the right to defense of a defendant, among other restrictions.
The Congress of El Salvador approved a sixth 30-day extension of the emergency regime to combat gangs, with which a little more than 52,000 suspected gang members have been arrested.
The emergency regime is extended “throughout the national territory for a period of 30 days,” said the decree approved with the votes of 65 deputies, allies of the government of President Nayib Bukele.
“It is necessary to uproot everything that has done harm to our country,” said the president of Congress, Ernesto Castro, before putting the measure requested by the government to a vote.
In response to an escalation of 87 murders committed between March 25 and 27, Congress accepted a request from the government to decree the emergency regime, which has been extended until at least October 18, and has allowed arrests without a court order. to just over 52,000 suspected gang members.
The exceptional regime also suspends freedom of association, the right to defense that a defendant has, extends the period of preventive detention from 3 to 15 days and empowers the interception of communications. Most of the gang members are related to the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18.
The exception regime has been constantly criticized and disapproved by human rights organizations, considering that the measure represents a mechanism to disrespect the rights of detainees.