The Facts

• According to a Human Rights Watch report, published Tuesday, more than 60 children in El Salvador have been arbitrarily detained and abused in the two years since the government declared a state of emergency to combat criminal gangs.

• The New York based human rights group, says that 3,319 children and teenagers were detained by El Salvadorian police and soldiers during the period between when the state of emergency began in March 2022 and April of this year, when mass trials started.

• The report alleges that many of the minors detained by the government have "no apparent connection to gangs’ abusive activity" and were targeted due to their appearance or socioeconomic background. The youth were arrested in 'indiscriminate raids' that targeted low income neighborhoods throughout El Salvador.