Nayib Bukele
President of El Salvador
2 articlesWorld
El Salvador Life Sentences for Minors Age 12 and Up Take Effect — IACHR Says Law Is Incompatible With International Standards
El Salvador's constitutional reforms enabling life imprisonment for minors as young as 12 convicted of homicide, feminicide, rape, or gang membership entered into force on April 26, 2026. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights called the measure incompatible with inter-American jurisprudence five days before implementation.
World
El Salvador Allows Life Sentences for Children as Young as 12, Effective April 26
Bukele signed reforms to four laws permitting life imprisonment for minors convicted of homicide, feminicide, rape, or gang membership. UNICEF, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and OHCHR have condemned the measures as violations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.