International
14 gang members sentenced to up to 120 years in prison in El Salvador
The 14 gang members who were convicted in El Salvador were found guilty of the murder of 12 people.
The emergency regime in El Salvador has been imposed since March 2022, and has been approved and extended each month. (Free Press Photo: AFP)
A court in El Salvador sentenced 14 gang members to sentences of up to 120 years in prison for the murder of a dozen people who were buried in clandestine cemeteries, the Prosecutor’s Office reported.
The institution indicated on the social network
The gang members were found guilty of the murder of 14 people between 2017 and 2019.
“These criminals deprived the victims of their freedom, took their lives and buried them in clandestine cemeteries. Among the victims is a police officer,” the statement said.
He specified that four of the defendants received the highest sentences, 52, 64, 112 and 120 years in prison, for the crimes of homicide and illicit groups.
President Nayib Bukele has maintained a “war” once morest gangs since March 2022, protected by a controversial emergency regime following an escalation of 87 homicides in one weekend.
Since then, authorities have arrested 79,800 suspected gang members, of which 7,600 have been released, Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said in a recent interview with AFP.
The crusade once morest gangs returned apparent tranquility to the streets of the Central American country, but is criticized by human rights organizations because the emergency regime allows arrests without a court order.
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