El Salvador Allows Life Terms for Minors Amid Criticism
El Salvador enacts life sentences for minors, drawing criticism from international human rights organizations.
New legal reforms in El Salvador introduce life sentences for minors in serious criminal cases. Photo: @LaTribunahn
April 27, 2026 Hour: 4:20 am
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Reforms enable life imprisonment for minors in serious crimes, raising concerns from international human rights bodies
El Salvador has enacted criminal law reforms allowing life imprisonment for minors convicted of serious crimes, following their approval by the Legislative Assembly at the request of President Nayib Bukele.
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The measures entered into force Sunday, 30 days after the decree was published on March 27. Under the new framework, life sentences apply to offenses including homicide, femicide, rape, and membership in gangs classified as terrorist organizations.
The legislation creates specialized criminal courts to process these cases under expedited procedures, excluding those directly linked to terrorism charges. It also removes access to parole and early release for those sentenced under these provisions. The only mechanism предусмотрed is a periodic review of life sentences, which may grant access to a supervised release regime if deemed appropriate.
Text Reads: El Salvador approved a package of criminal reforms that includes life imprisonment for minors found guilty of serious crimes. / The measure was approved with 57 votes in favor out of a total of 60 deputies, amending the Juvenile Criminal Law. / The VAMOS party voted against it, and the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), with two legislators, abstained.
Lawmakers from the ruling party, Nuevas Ideas, stated that the reform aligns with international standards by incorporating periodic sentence evaluations. The changes are implemented within the context of the state of exception in place since March 2022.
According to figures referenced in this context, more than 91,000 people have been detained under the emergency regime. Social organizations report at least 6,400 complaints of human rights violations and a minimum of 500 deaths in state custody since its implementation.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) warned that life imprisonment for children and adolescents is incompatible with inter-American legal standards, arguing that such penalties are disproportionate and undermine the rehabilitative purpose that should guide sentencing for minors.
Text Reads: Right now, our security cabinet is presenting a constitutional reform to the Legislative Assembly to endorse life imprisonment for murderers, rapists, and terrorists. We’ll see who supports this reform and who will dare to defend the constitution’s continued prohibition against murderers and rapists remaining in prison.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) also criticized the reform, stating that the possibility of reviewing a life sentence only after 25 years contradicts international treaties. Juanita Goebertus, director of HRW’s Americas Division, said that sentences for minors should be substantially shorter to provide real opportunities for social reintegration.
The entry into force of these measures coincides with continued reporting by social organizations of a deterioration in fundamental guarantees under the state of exception.
