El Salvador's Congress Approves Mass Trials in Gang Crackdown
El Salvador's Congress has passed legislation allowing group trials for the thousands of people arrested during President Nayib Bukele's crackdown on criminal gangs. The new law will enable prosecutors to simultaneously try up to 900 alleged gang members from the same group or area. While the state of emergency has led to a drop in homicides and crimes, it has also drawn criticism for human rights abuses, including torture and arbitrary detentions. Critics argue that group trials risk depriving detainees of due process and their presumption of innocence.