Salvadoran President Bukele Enacts Sweeping Criminal Justice Reforms
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele signs new laws allowing life sentences for children as young as 12, sparking controversy over human rights and juvenile justice.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has signed a series of controversial criminal justice reforms that will allow life sentences for children as young as 12 years old. The new laws apply to those convicted of crimes including homicide, femicide, rape, and gang membership.
The reforms have sparked widespread debate and concern from human rights groups and juvenile justice advocates who argue that such harsh sentences for minors violate international standards and could have devastating long-term consequences for young offenders and the country as a whole.
Bukele, who has taken an increasingly hardline approach to crime and security since taking office in 2019, defended the new measures, stating that they are necessary to combat the country's severe issues with gang violence and organized crime.
Source: NPR
