El Salvador has launched a mass trial involving hundreds of alleged members of the MS-13 gang, marking one of the largest legal proceedings in the country’s history.
The trial includes more than 500 defendants accused of serious crimes including murder, extortion and terrorism-related offences. Prosecutors say the proceedings are part of President Nayib Bukele’s ongoing crackdown on gangs, which has seen tens of thousands of people arrested under emergency measures introduced in 2022.
Authorities argue the mass trials are necessary to process the large number of detainees and maintain pressure on organised crime groups. However, human rights organisations have raised concerns about due process, warning that trying hundreds of defendants together could undermine individual legal protections and fair trial standards.
El Salvador’s anti-gang campaign has significantly reduced reported homicide rates in recent years, but critics say it has also led to widespread detentions, with some detainees allegedly held without sufficient evidence. The outcome of the trial is expected to be closely watched as a test of the country’s controversial security policies.
