On May 21, 2024, 85 organizations from the Americas and Europe issued a statement condemning state surveillance, harassment, and intimidation against human rights attorneys and advocates in El Salvador. Since the implementation of the State of Exception, an emergency measure suspending basic rights, there has been a marked increase in police harassment and surveillance of those representing victims of arbitrary arrest and political persecution.
Attorney Ivania Cruz from COFAPPES presented evidence of state surveillance, while attorneys from Socorro Jurídico Humanitario reported defamation campaigns and police intrusions. Members of MOVIR, representing families of those arbitrarily arrested, also faced harassment and threats. Community leaders in the rural Bajo Lempa region reported youth arrests and beatings in retaliation for criticizing the militarized repression.
The coalition, including groups like the American Association of Jurists and WOLA, called for a thorough investigation by the Attorney General and protective measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. They also urged the U.S. to halt security assistance to El Salvador due to the government's actions against human rights defenders and the erosion of democracy.