Amid growing repression, a collective of civil society organisations call on El Salvador government to immediately and unconditionally release detained human rights defenders and protesters, repeal repressive legislation, and stop assault on civic space. We urge the international community to act swiftly and decisively to exert pressure on the Salvadoran government and hold it accountable.
El Salvador has now been under a state of emergency for over three years, extended 39 consecutive times since March 2022. Under the state of emergency, the environment has become increasingly hostile to the exercise of civic freedoms. Serious human rights violations have been documented. As a result, the CIVICUS Monitor placed El Salvador on its Watch List in July 2024.
The most recent wave of repression has targeted activists exercising their fundamental rights. In May 2025, El Faro journalists were warned of possible criminal charges as reprisal for publishing a report about a pact between the gangs and Bukele. They are now in exile. On May 14, at least two activists from the community of El Bosque were arbitrarily detained for peacefully protesting forced evictions. Just two weeks later, on May 27, prominent human rights lawyer and head of the Anti-Corruption and Justice Unit of Cristosal, Ruth Eleonora López, was detained. On June 6th, prominent lawyer Enrique Anaya, who has called out the abuse of power in El Salvador, was also arrested. To date, these individuals remain in detention.
These arrests are part of a broader pattern of arbitrary detentions enabled by the prolonged state of emergency. Dozens of people have been arrested without evidence or due process, in conditions that deprive them of legal defence and other basic rights.
The Foreign Agents Law came into force on June 7th, 2025. It will hinder the work of civil society and further limit civic space in the country. Among the restrictions is the imposition of an additional 30% tax on their income coming from abroad. Through the creation of the Registry of Foreign Agents (RAEX), the government will have the power to approve, deny or revoke the registration of civil society groups that receive funds from abroad, and monitor and control their activities. This legislation is part of the broader, alarming regional trend aimed at repressing civil society organisations and criminalising human rights work.
As the government of El Salvador deepens its authoritarian grip, we call on the international community to:
- Activate mechanisms and exert pressure on the government of El Salvador to release the arbitrarily detained persons;
- Call for the repeal of the Foreign Agents Law and all other repressive legislation that undermines civic space and restricts the work of civil society; and
- Press for the restoration of due process guarantees and legal protections and ensure that all citizens can freely exercise their civil liberties.
Signed by:
- Amis Progressistes du Sud (APROS/S)
- ANONG
- APU CATEQUIL / RED CATEQUIL
- Arkemetría Social
- Articulación de Movimientos Sociales
- Asociación de Derechos Humanos Tutela Legal "Dra. María Julia Hernández"
- Asociación de travestis transexuales y transgéneros del Perú - ATTTPE
- Asociación Trans Diversa ATD
- Asuntos del Sur
- CALEIDOSCOPIO HUMANO
- Cambio Sistémico AC
- Causa r Anzoátegui
- CEDESO
- Centre de support aux personnes Handicapées CESPHA
- Centro de Estudios y Apoyo al Desarrollo Local
- Centro de Estudios y Apoyo al Desarrollo Local
- Centro de Investigación y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (CIPRODEH)
- Centro de Liderazgo e Innovación para Mujeres de las Américas
- Centro de Servicios Agropecuarios Técnicos Chuquisaca
- Cesar Augusto Perdomo
- CIVICUS
- Coalición Nacional por el Derecho a Vivir en un Medio Ambiente Sano -CONADAM-
- Colectivo Kuska
- Colectivo Seres, A.C.
- Consumo Ético
- Convergencia Ciudadana de Mujeres -Converge Mujeres- Guatemala.
- Emerger Fondo Socioambiental Colombia
- Enlace Comunicación y Capacitación A C
- Erwin Alvarez
- Factor 4
- Federación de Organizaciones No Gubernamentales para el Desarrollo de Honduras (FOPRIDEH)
- Fermin Chavez
- Festivales Solidarios
- FINESTE
- Flepco
- Fundación Ayuda Social Sin Fronteras
- fundación Bienvenides
- Fundación CIRD
- Fundación Colombia Nuevos Horizontes
- Fundación Ixcanul
- Fundacion Multitudes
- Fundacion para el Desarrollo y la innovación social - FDSI
- Fundación para el Periodismo
- Fundación por la Libertad de Expresión y Democracia (FLED)
- Fundación Puentes para el Desarrollo de Centroamérica
- Fundación Red De Vida
- Fundación Selva Sagrada
- Fundamedios
- FUNPROEFER
- Infomedio
- Iniciativa por una Justicia Igualitaria
- Iniciativa Regional Rendir Cuentas
- Instituto de Comunicación y Desarrollo (ICD)
- Instituto para el desarrollo sostenible de la mujer Lenca de Honduras IDESMULH
- Instituto Progresista-IPV
- IPANDETEC
- Josefina De León
- Livier
- Mexiro A.C.
- Movimiento de Mujeres Positivas(MM+)
- Movimiento SOMOS
- Movimiento unido por la defensa de los derechos humanos MUDDH
- MY World Mexico
- Organisation des Citoyens pour une Nouvelle HAÏTI-OCNH
- POJOAJU Asociación de ONGDs del Paraguay
- Prueba 1
- Red de Periodistas del Noreste / México
- Red Internacional de Promotores ODS
- Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia
- Resonalia
- Semillas para la Democracia
- Sinergia
- Temblores ong
- Vision Haitienne des Droits de l'Homme VHDH
