El Salvador | World | Americas | Human Rights Watch

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El Salvador has one of the world’s highest homicide rates, partially due to corruption and impunity. State security forces have committed egregious abuses, including extrajudicial executions, sexual assaults, and enforced disappearances. They have failed to investigate crimes and collaborated with gangs. Gangs exercise territorial control, extort residents, and kill, disappear, rape, or displace those who resist them. Girls and women alleged to have had abortions are imprisoned for homicide.

Children's Rights

August 2, 2019 News Release

US: Bill Would Shut Doors to Central Americans
Children's Rights

July 31, 2019 Dispatches

US Senate Bill Aims to Kill Access to Asylum for Central Americans

Bill Frelick
Director, Refugee Rights Program
Americas

May 31, 2019 News Release

El Salvador: Fix Flawed Transitional Justice Bill

Videos Watch More

March 31, 2016 Video

Mexico: Obstacles to Children Seeking Asylum

Reports More Reports

March 31, 2016

Closed Doors

Mexico’s Failure to Protect Central American Refugee and Migrant Children
July 27, 2006

Swept Under the Rug

Abuses against Domestic Workers Around the World
June 9, 2004

Turning a Blind Eye

Hazardous Child Labor in El Salvador’s Sugarcane Cultivation

News

August 15, 2019 Statement

Human Rights Watch Submits Comment in Opposition to the Asylum Eligibility and Procedural Modifications Interim Final Rule
January 16, 2019 Commentary

Central American women fleeing domestic violence deserve refugee status

Bill Frelick
Director, Refugee Rights Program

Published In: The Hill
June 29, 2018 Statement

Submission by Human Rights Watch to the Committee on the Rights of the Child on El Salvador
April 3, 2018 News Release

Abortion and Human Rights in El Salvador

José Miguel Vivanco
Executive Director, Americas Division

Published In: El Diario de Hoy
April 17, 2017 Dispatches

On Immigrant Policies, Unintended Consequences

John Raphling
Senior Researcher, US Program
February 16, 2017 Dispatches

El Salvador Should Decriminalize Abortion

Sarah Taylor
Researcher, Women's Rights Division
July 15, 2016 Dispatches

Dispatches: El Salvador Court Sends a Message to Proponents of Impunity

José Miguel Vivanco
Executive Director, Americas Division
June 2, 2016 News Release

OAS: Save Human Rights Body
March 31, 2016 News Release

Mexico: Asylum Elusive for Migrant Children
January 26, 2016 Dispatches

Dispatches: Zika Warnings Versus Realities Women Face

Amanda Klasing
Acting Co-Director, Women's Rights Division
September 25, 2015 Dispatches

Dispatches: Miscarrying Shouldn’t be Murder in El Salvador

Amanda Klasing
Acting Co-Director, Women's Rights Division
July 6, 2015 Commentary

New US policy of little help to Central American families who live in fear

Bill Frelick
Director, Refugee Rights Program

Published In: LA Times

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El Salvador

World Report 2019

El Salvador

Our People

José Miguel Vivanco

Executive Director, Americas Division @JMVivancoHRW

Daniel Wilkinson

Acting Director, Environment and Human Rights @DWilkinsonNYC

White Helmets Founder Found Dead in Turkey: Daily Brief

Daily Brief

November 12, 2019

James Le Mesurier, co-founder of the White Helmets, a Syrian humanitarian rescue group, found dead in Istanbul; Bolivia’s former president granted asylum in Mexico; Dubai to hold tolerance summit while activists remain imprisoned; Cambodia attempts to appease EU; a step towards justice for murdered Thai activist; South Sudan extends deadline for the formation of a government; Kenyan summit to tackle maternal mortality and child marriage; and goods from illegal Israeli settlements must be labeled, EU court rules.