from LAWG and CIS
#LibertadParaIES
The #StateofException is tearing families apart.
Learn more:
State of Exception
80,000 arrested. 265 deaths.
El Salvador now has the highest incarceration rate in the world!
See an info/take action flyer about the Free the Innocents campaign at https://www.irtfcleveland.org/sites/default/files/flyers/state_of_exception_-_free_the_innocents_of_isla_espiritu_santo_-_el_salvador_-_08.01.24_0.pdf
Isla El Espíritu Santo
Puerto El Triunfo, Usulután Department
On their small island of Isla El Espíritu Santo, residents live relatively isolated from the mainland and rely on income from coconut crops. That’s why it’s been dubbed "Coconut Island." Their peaceful existence was shaken, however, when President Nayib Bukele announced his State of Exception in March 2022. His government began to target the islanders through arbitrary arrests.
State of Exception
As a response to combat the country’s powerful street gangs, President Bukele’s “temporary measure” (now in its 3rd year!) has suspended constitutional rights, such as the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial. The effects of these punitive policies have had a ripple effect throughout Salvadoran society, disproportionately felt by women whose sons and husbands are imprisoned. Drawing from 3,643 reports from victims and their families, the nonprofit Cristosal has found deplorable detention conditions, lack of medical care, and cases of torture. With mass detention and the deaths of at least 265 people in custody (including four infants), “the justice system has failed and is complicit in the systematic violation of the human rights of the Salvadoran people.”
Release the Innocents! CAMPAIGN GOALS
1. Release the Innocents. Free the islanders who were arbitrarily arrested on an island devoid of gang structures or crime.
2. Allow Families to See Their Loved Ones in Prison. Once imprisoned, families are not allowed to see their loved ones.
3. Restore Due Process and Presumption of Innocence. Reinstate fundamental rights suspended during the State of Exception.
4. Urge US government to speak out! Congress can instruct the US State Department to push for release of the innocents and restoration of basic constitutional rights.
TAKE ACTION
Use this toolkit bit.ly/IESToolKit to
Tell the stories of the innocents
Quote the families of the wrongfully imprisoned
Amplify the goals and demands of our campaign
Tag these officials to gain visibility
@andresgzm Andrés Guzmán, Human Rights Commissioner of El Salvador
@FiscalGeneralSV Rodolfo Delgado, Attorney General of El Salvador
@CancillerAleHT Alexandra Hill, Foreign Minister of El Salvador
@nayibbukele President Nayib Bukele
@AsambleaSV Legislative Assembly of El Salvador
FREE THE INNOCENTS FROM ISLA EPIRITU SANTO!
Stop arbitrary arrests. End mass incarceration. Restore basic constitutional rights in El Salvador!
Between May 13, 2022 and April 28, 2023, 25 residents of Isla Espíritu Santo were arrested without a proper warrant and accused of criminal activities, even though the island has not historically experienced gang violence. Here are profiles of four of the victims of President Bukele’s crackdown on crime:
Cristian Donely Ruiz Pineda, age 44
-shoemaker, fisher, builder
-married with two daughters and a grandson
-arbitrarily arrested in his home around 8:30 p.m. on July 3, 2022.
-Cristian hasn’t seen his family for 2 years. But every month, his wife Carolina, goes to Mariona prison to leave a $75 packet of food, clothing, medicine and hygiene—basic products the gov’t does not provide.
José Samuel Pérez Perdomo, age 60
-a dedicated boat driver for CIS high school and university scholarship students since 2011
-arbitrarily arrested on May 13, 2022; has been moved to the prison medical center in Izalco, suffering from mental and physical illnesses
Fabricio Isaac Fuentes López, age 24
-arbitrarily arrested on July 18, 2022, despite Fabricio’s protests and clean record.
Eidi Roxana Claros de Zaldaña, age 44
-Sandra Leticia Hernández, owner of a successful taxi business, and her partner Eidi Roxana Claros de Zaldaña had suffered attacks from a rival taxi company for sharing a home as a lesbian couple
-the rival taxi group accused Sandra of collaborating with gangs
-on April 28, 2023, their home was surrounded by 25 soldiers and police
-Eidi intervened on Sandra’s behalf, and Eidi was arrested
-Sandra was later released, but Eidi remains in prison.
#LibertadParaIES
@nayibbukele has allowed the arrest of thousands of innocent people under the #StateofException
How were 25 people arrested without:
➡️ Gang ties
➡️ Physical evidence
➡️ Due process
???????????????????
The #StateofException is tearing families apart.
CAMPAIGN GOALS:
- Release the Innocents: Free the islanders who were arbitrarily arrested on an island devoid of gang structures or crime.
- Allow Families to See Their Loved Ones In Prison: Once imprisoned, families are not allowed to see their loved ones.
- Restore Due Process and Presumption of Innocence: Reinstate fundamental rights suspended during the State of Exception.
- Reach Congressional audiences: LAWG and CIS will collaborate with members of Congress to write a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter urging the State Department to pressure President Bukele's administration to liberate the islanders and reinstate rule of law.
Use this social media toolkit bit.ly/IESToolKit, which includes:
- Stories of the 4 victims stated previously.
- Our campaign's demands and goals.
- Quotes from families of the wrongfully imprisoned.
HOW TO USE THIS bit.ly/IESToolKit
Organizations and advocates should use the content provided here either verbatim or as a guide to post about the release of arbitrarily arrested persons on the island El Espíritu Santo, El Salvador. This toolkit is maintained by the Latin America Working Group and the Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad. Feel free to tag the following human rights organizations in your posts: @LAWGAction, @CISElSalvador, @SJHumanitario, @Cristosal, @CISPES, @idhuca, @DPLF_info, @WOLA_org
Click here for social media graphics.
Twitter Caption | Instagram/Facebook Caption |
Since 2022 under the #StateofException in El Salvador, 25 innocent people from the Espíritu Santo island were unjustly arrested. Only 8 have been released. Use #LibertadParaIES & the graphics ⬇️to make noise and pressure @nayibbukele to free the 17. | In 2022 under the #StateofException in El Salvador, 25 innocent people from the Espíritu Santo island were unjustly arrested. Only 8 have been released. Join @LAWGaction and @CISElSalvador in our campaign to hold the state accountable and free the people of Espíritu Santo island. Learn more: #LibertadParaIES #LibresLosQueremos |
July 18, 2022: the biggest raid of arbitrary arrests on the Isla Espíritu Santo in #ElSalvador 🇸🇻 2 years later and 17 people are STILL arrested under the #StateofException ❌ Let's honor the victims and demand for their immediate release ⚖️ #LibertadParaIES | July 18, 2022 was the biggest raid of arbitrary arrests on the Isla Espíritu Santo in #ElSalvador 🇸🇻 The people on this island have ZERO gang ties. So how were 25 people imprisoned? The #StateofException in El Salvador allows for arbitrary arrests without a warrant, the removal of due process, and silences the voices of the most vulnerable. 2 years later and 17 people are STILL in prison for having "gang ties." @CISELSalvador, who works directly with the islanders, reports that they are innocent and were arrested at their homes. They represent thousands of innocent victims arrested to fill quotas. Let's honor the victims and demand for their immediate release ⚖️ #LibertadParaIES |
In 2022 under the #StateofException in El Salvador, 25 innocent people from the Espíritu Santo island were unjustly arrested. Only 8 have been released. Here is the story of [insert the name from the graphic] made a victim of the state on [insert date of arrest]. #LibertadParaIES | In 2022 under the #StateofException in El Salvador, 25 innocent people from the Espíritu Santo island were unjustly arrested. Only 8 have been released. Here is the story of [insert the name from the graphic] made a victim of the state on [insert date of arrest]. #LibertadParaIES |
How were 25 people on the Isla El Espiritu Santo arrested without: ➡️ Gang ties ➡️ Physical evidence ➡️ Due process RT to help: 👤Release Innocents ⚖️Restore Due Process 🇺🇸 Talk to Congress #LibertadParaIES #LibresLosQueremos | How were 25 people arrested without: ➡️ Gang ties ➡️ Physical evidence ➡️ Due process @nayibbukele has allowed the arrest of thousands more innocent people under the #StateofException Our campaign focuses on: 👤Releasing the Innocents ⚖️Restoring Due Process 🇺🇲Talking to your Congress member Learn more: #LibertadParaIES #LibresLosQueremos |
Cristian Donely was unjustly arrested on July 3, 2022 on the El Espiritu Santo Island. Cristian hasn’t seen his family for 2 years. The #StateofException is tearing families apart. Learn more about the Islanders here → bit.ly/CISReport1 | Cristian Donely was arrested on July 3, 2022 on the Isla Espiritu Island. Every month, his wife Carolina, goes to Mariona prison to leave a $75 packet of food, clothing, hygienic products and medicine, to provide goods that the State does not. Cristian hasn’t seen his family for 2 years. The #StateofException is tearing families apart. Learn more: #LibertadParaIES #LibresLosQueremos #WeWantThemFree |
RESOURCES:
Get informed with these recent articles and reports:
- Cristosal, "El silencio no es opción: Investigación sobre las prácticas de tortura, muerte y justicia fallida en el régimen de excepción", July 2024
- Human Rights Watch, "El Salvador: Rights Violations Against Children in 'State of Emergency,'" July 16, 2024
- Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad, "Report on 25 Arbitrary Arrests of residents of the Isla El Espíritu Santo," June 2024
- El Salvador Perspectives, "Espíritu Santo Island – a State of Exception Story," May 19, 2024.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS TOOLKIT
LATIN AMERICA WORKING GROUP
The Latin America Working Group (LAWG) and the Latin America Working Group Education Fund (LAWGEF) mobilize concerned citizens, organizations, and networks to call for just U.S. policies towards Latin America and the Caribbean. We work closely with civil society partners in Latin America to amplify their human rights campaigns and make sure their voices are heard in the policy debates that take place in Washington, DC but shape the lives of millions throughout the region.
CENTRO DE INTERCAMBIO Y SOLIDARIDAD (Center for Exchange and Solidarity)
The Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad (CIS) is a non-profit association that formed after the end of El Salvador's 13-year civil war to accompany Salvadorans in defending human rights and democratic processes that were promised in the 1992 Peace Accords. CIS expanded to include community building programs such as scholarships and leadership development, empowerment and women's enterprises, and clean water and the environment, as the electoral process became transparent and grave human rights violations diminished. CIS had to return to prioritizing human rights in 2022 with the implementation of the Regime of Exception due to the innocent people impacted in the economically and socially marginalized communities where CIS works.
