Below is a press release regarding the escalation of political persecution in El Salvador, one year after the arbitrary detention of Ruth López.

May 18, 2026

More than 100 organizations from the Americas and Europe reaffirm our deep concern over the arbitrary detention of Salvadoran lawyer and human rights defender Ruth López, one year after her arrest by Salvadoran authorities.

On the night of May 18, 2025, agents of the National Civil Police of El Salvador arrived at Ruth López’s home and detained her without respecting basic due process guarantees. Her arrest took place against a backdrop of deteriorating civil liberties and judicial guarantees in El Salvador, which has led to the persecution and criminalization of critical voices through the instrumentalization of the criminal justice system. 

Over the past year, the case of Ruth López has raised concerns among international human rights bodies and organizations. Amnesty International declared her a prisoner of conscience, warning that her detention constitutes a serious violation of her fundamental rights and an attack on those who demand transparency and promote accountability in the country. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted precautionary measures in her favor, and prestigious organizations presented her with awards recognizing both her academic career and her work as a human rights defender.

It is important to note that Ruth’s detention is one of at least 86 cases of individuals currently held in similar conditions of arbitrary detention due to political persecution in El Salvador. Along with the cases of Enrique Anaya, a renowned constitutional law scholar, researcher, and university professor in El Salvador and Latin America, and Fidel Zavala, spokesperson for the Human and Community Rights Defense Unit (UNIDEHC), a systematic pattern is evident that affects human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and community leaders.

We, the undersigned organizations, stand in solidarity with Ruth’s family and with all those who suffer persecution for their beliefs or for expressing their opinions. It is imperative to immediately lift any unjustified restrictions on visits by family members and advocates, both for Ruth and for anyone else deprived of their liberty.

In light of the above, WE DEMAND THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF EL SALVADOR:

• Comply with the precautionary measures ordered by the IACHR on behalf of Ruth, including safeguarding her health and personal safety, ending any undue restrictions on visits from her family and attorneys, and addressing her detention conditions.
• Given that the deadline for the preliminary investigation is approaching, ensure due process for Ruth, particularly her right to a public trial without undue delay, and allow her to exercise her right to a full defense in her capacity as a lawyer, as she has requested.
• Review the pretrial detention order and guarantee her right to the presumption of innocence and to be released during the proceedings, taking into account that she has been detained for one year.
• Immediately release all political prisoners and apply alternatives to detention, such as house arrest, for the duration of legal proceedings; ensure that hearings are public and that due process is fully respected; and lift all restrictions on communication with defense teams and family members while political prisoners remain in custody.

We are concerned about the erosion of judicial independence and the weakening of democratic safeguards in El Salvador. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Ruth López and all those detained for political reasons in El Salvador. We demand an end to the harassment of human rights defenders, full respect for due process, and the restoration of the rule of law.

We call on the international community and all those committed to justice and democracy to continue raising their voices in solidarity with Ruth López and with all those who face persecution for exercising their right to freedom of expression.

• AlertaVenezuela
• Alianza Americas
• ARTICLE 19 México y Centroamérica
• Articulación Ciudadana por la Transparencia y la Justicia (ACTJ)
• Asociación Acción Ciudadana
• Asociación Coordinadora Comunitaria de Servicios para la Salud (ACCSS)
• Asociación de Estudiantes Universitarios "Oliverio Castañeda de León" (AEU)
• Asociación de Periodistas de El Salvador (APES)
• Asociación Memoria y Justicia
• Asociación movimiento de unificación indígena de Nahuizalco de El Salvador
• Asociación Pop No'j (Guatemala)
• Asociación Rumiñahui
• Asuntos del Sur
• AWO International
• Bloque Latinoamericano sobre Migración
• Cambio Sistémico AC
• The Canadian Centre for Universal Human Rights Society
• CARECEN-LA
• Casa Centroamérica
• Central American Resource Center
• Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos "Segundo Montes Mozo SJ" (CSMM)
• Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)
• Centro de Investigación e Incidencia para Centroamérica (CIIC)
• Centro de Justicia y Paz (Cepaz)
• Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL)
• Centro Presente
• CIVICUS, Alianza Global para la Participación Ciudadana
• Colectiva Feminista MAPAS
• Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Nicaragua Nunca Más
• Colectivo Normal
• Colibrí Legal PLLC
• Comisión de Acción Social Menonita (CASM)
• Comité de familiares de personas presas y perseguidas políticas de El Salvador
• Comité Nacional Mons. Romero de El Salvador
• Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (CDH)
• Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES)
• Comunidad Eclesial de Base - CEBE'S ROMERO VIVE A MILANO
• Comunidad Monseñor Romero de Sonsonate
• Comunidad Santa Marta
• Comunidades de Fe Organizadas en Acción (COFOA)
• Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos
• Cristosal
• Doctors Against Genocide
• Due Process of Law Foundation
• Ecuménicas por el Derecho a Decidir Honduras
• Equipo de Reflexión, Investigación y Comunicación
• Extituto de Política Abierta
• Federación Internacional de Derechos Humanos (FIDH), en el marco del Observatorio para la Protección de las Personas Defensoras de Derechos Humanos
• Freedom Now
• Fundación Aguaclara
• Fundación Salvadoreña para la Promoción Social y el Desarrollo Económico (FUNSALPRODESE)
• Global Exchange
• Grupo de Litigantes para la Protección y Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (Grupo de Litigantes PRODEDH)
• Grupo Sociedad Civil
• HAFA
• Heinrich Böll Stiftung - Centroamérica
• Hope Border Institute
• HUACAL ONG de Solidaridad con El Salvador
• Human Rights First
• Human Rights Foundation
• Instituto de Defensa Legal (IDL)
• Instituto de Derechos Humanos de la UCA (Idhuca)
• Instituto La Segovia para el liderazgo y la transformación social
• International Detention Coalition (IDC)
• InterReligious Task Force on Central America
• Just Detention International
• Juventud, Política y Desarrollo (JPD)
• Kolectivo San Jacinto
• La Otra en el Sur de Morelos
• Last Chance Advocacy
• Latin America Working Group
• Latinas en Poder
• Mexiro A.C.
• Movimiento de Familiares del personal de salud fallecido por Covid-19
• Movimiento de Mujeres de Santo Tomás (MOMUJEST)
• Movimiento de Trabajadores Despedidos (MTD)
• Movimiento de Víctimas del Régimen (MOVIR)
• Movimiento Estudiantil de Relaciones Internacionales de la Universidad de El Salvador (MERI - UES)
• Movimiento por la Defensa de los Derechos de la Clase Trabajadora (MDCT)
• Movimiento por la Salud "Doctor Salvador Allende "/ ALAMES El Salvador.
• Mugarik Gabe
• Observatorio Venezolano de Violencias LGBTIQ+
• Oficina Ecuménica por la Paz y la Justicia, Múnich, Alemania
• Oilwatch Costa Rica
• Organización Ayudamos Honduras
• Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT), en el marco del Observatorio para la Protección de las Personas Defensoras de Derechos Humanos
• Pastoral Social, Iglesia Anglicana de México
• Plataforma Juvenil Alianza por la paz y la Justicia
• Poder Ciudadano
• Programa Latinoamericano de Tierras y Aguas
• Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos (Provea)
• Protección Internacional Mesoamérica
• Pueblo Unido
• RADAR - Red de Incidencia Regional de Juventudes
• Red de abogadas indígenas, Chiapas México
• Red de Mujeres Rurales
• Red de mujeres zoques construyendo esperanza
• Red Jesuita con Migrantes en las Américas
• RED PAS
• RedSol - Solinetz Zentralamerika
• Reportar Sin Miedo
• Rights and Security International
• Servicio Jesuita para Migrantes Costa Rica
• Sindicalistas en El Exilio
• Sisters of Mercy of the Americas - Justice Team
• Sociedad Cooperativa de Consumo Regional Chac Lol S.C.L.
• Socorro Jurídico Humanitario para El Salvador
• The immigration advocacy law group
• Trinity Episcopal Church, Asbury Park, NJ
• U.S. Communities for Peace and Justice in the Americas
• Unidad de Defensa de Derechos Humanos y Comunitarios
• Unión Nacional para la Defensa de la Clase Trabajadora - UNT
• Unión Sindical de Empleados y Trabajadores de la Alcaldía Municipal de San Salvador Centro (USETRAMUSSC)
• Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)
• Voces Guatemaltecas en el Exilio
• Wind of the Spirit, Immigrant Resource Center
• WOMEN WORKING TOGETHER USA
• Yaaj: Transformando tu vida A.C.
• Zehar-Errefuxiatuekin

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Alianza Americas is a transnational network of migrant-led organizations in the United States. We advocate for social justice, equity, and human rights in the Americas.

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