El Salvador's top human rights group flees President Bukele's ongoing crackdown on dissent
The organization has been one of the most visible critics of Bukele, documenting abuses in the strongman's war on the country's gangs and the detention of hundreds of Venezuelan deportees in an agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Bukele's government has long targeted opponents, but Cristosal Executive Director Noah Bullock said things reached a tipping point in recent months as Bukele has grown empowered by his alliance with Trump.
'The clear targeting of our organization has made us choose between exile or prison,' Bullock said in an interview with the Associated Press. 'The Bukele administration has unleashed a wave of repression over the past few months ... There's been an exodus of civil society leaders, professionals and even businessmen.'
El Salvador 's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cristosal has been working in El Salvador since 2000, when it was founded by Evangelical bishops in order to address human rights and democratic concerns following the country's brutal civil war.
On Thursday, the human rights organization announced that it packed up its offices and moved 20 employees from the Central American nation to neighboring Guatemala and Honduras. Cristosal quietly got staff and their families out before publicly announcing they were leaving out of fear that they could be targeted by the Bukele government.
The decision came after its top anti-corruption lawyer Ruth López was jailed in June on enrichment charges, which the organization denies.
Cristosal's legal team has supported hundreds of cases alleging the government arbitrarily detained innocent people in its crackdown on gangs, and has unlawfully detained Venezuelans deported from the U.S. López headed many of those investigations. In a court appearance in June, she appeared shackled and escorted by police.
'They're not going to silence me, I want a public trial,' she shouted. 'I'm a political prisoner.'
For years, the organization said staff have been followed around by police officers, had their phones tapped by spyware like Pegasus, and been subject to legal attacks and defamation campaigns.
But López's court appearance was the moment that Bullock said he knew they would have to leave the country.
At the same time, the government has arrested more critics, while others have quietly fled the country. In late May, El Salvador's Congress passed a 'foreign agents' law, championed by the populist president. It resembles legislation implemented by governments in Nicaragua, Venezuela, Russia, Belarus and China to silence and criminalize dissent by exerting pressure on organizations that rely on overseas funding.
Bullock said the the law would make it easier for the government to criminalize staff and cripple the organization economically.
Cristosal's flight from the country marks another blow to checks and balances in a country where Bukele has virtually consolidated control of the government. Bullock said no longer being able to work in the country will make it significantly harder for the organization to continue their ongoing legal work, particularly supporting those detained with little access to due process.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
36 minutes ago
- CNN
Detainees released from mega-prison CECOT
Detainees released from mega-prison CECOT An estimated 252 Venezuelans who had been imprisoned at the CECOT prison in March were released and returned to their home country in exchange for 10 US nationals and dozens of Venezuelan political prisoners, US officials said. Detainees celebrated their arrival home but also spoke about the conditions they faced - causing the Venezuelan government to open a formal investigation into several Salvadoran officials, including President Nayib Bukele, over the alleged abuse of Venezuelan migrants deported from the US. 01:42 - Source: CNN Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting? Tensions are rising between Thailand and Cambodia over a border dispute that dates back to 1907. CNN's Will Ripley explains how the conflict has escalated. 01:32 - Source: CNN CNN reports from Gaza aid crossing CNN's Nic Robertson is on the scene at the Kerem Shalom border crossing as aid agencies warn of rampant hunger caused by Israel's blockade of Gaza. Gaza's health ministry said on Tuesday that 900,000 children are going hungry, and 70,000 already show signs of malnutrition. Israel denies it is at fault and accuses Hamas of 'engineering' food shortages. 01:39 - Source: CNN Reopening the ancient tunnels 75 feet under Rome CNN's Ben Wedeman was given an exclusive tour of ancient tunnels underneath Rome's Capitoline Hill. The tunnels, which archeologists say were once filled with ancient Roman shops and taverns, are set to open to the public in late 2026 or early 2027. 02:02 - Source: CNN Ukraine sees first major anti-government protests since start of war Hundreds took to the streets after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a new law limiting the autonomy of anti-corruption agencies in his government. 01:03 - Source: CNN Peruvian police use superhero disguise during drug raid An agent in the Peruvian police force disguised themselves as the Mexican superhero character El Chapulín Colorado during a drug raid in the nation's capital of Lima. Police said six members of a criminal gang were captured and that cocaine paste, marijuana, cell phones, and money were seized. 00:38 - Source: CNN Distressing images show starvation in Gaza Distressing video footage shows a 41-year-old man in Gaza who died of starvation as humanitarian organizations urge for Israel to end its blockade of the enclave. CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports. 01:57 - Source: CNN Small Irish town confronts its dark past Excavations of the remains of nearly 800 babies have begun at a former so-called mother and baby home in Tuam, Ireland. At least 9,000 infants and children died in more than a dozen of these institutions over the course of eight decades. 02:11 - Source: CNN Fire tornado rips through Turkish forest Turkey's forestry ministry has released video of a fire tornado tearing through the country's woodland. Hundreds of wildfires have gripped Turkey this summer, as well as Greece and other Mediterranean countries. 00:33 - Source: CNN Concerns grow over Australia's toxic algae bloom A harmful algae bloom off the coast of South Australia, caused by high sea temperatures and runoff from flooding, is poisoning marine life and depleting oxygen in the water. The Australian government has stated that there is little that can be done to reverse the rapid rate of the climate crisis. 01:10 - Source: CNN International visitors to US will pay new fee CNN's Richard Quest explains how the Trump administration enacted a bill that will require international visitors to pay a new 'visa integrity fee' of $250 dollars. The fee will apply to all visitors who are required to obtain nonimmigrant visas to enter the US. 01:36 - Source: CNN Mexico City residents furious over gentrification Mexico City saw its second anti-gentrification protest in less than a month on Sunday with demonstrators furious over rising prices in the city and the record number of foreigners applying for a resident visa. The main nationality of those foreigners seeking to move legally to the nation's capital? The United States of America. 01:11 - Source: CNN Child flees Israeli strike on Gaza refugee camp Video shows a child running away as Israeli munitions struck near a UNRWA school in Bureij Refugee Camp behind her. 00:36 - Source: CNN China cracks down on fake "Lafufu" Labubus Fake Labubu plush toys, dubbed "Lafufu," have gained popularity due to shortages of the original dolls made by China's Pop Mart. 02:05 - Source: CNN Jair Bolsonaro denies coup charges as police raid home Police in Brazil raided the home of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and enforced a ruling from the country's Supreme Court that Bolsonaro wear an electronic ankle tag. Bolsonaro is being accused of plotting to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election. 01:17 - Source: CNN Taiwan conducts 10-day military drill The Taiwanese government is preparing for a war they hope will never happen. For the first time this year, Taiwan combined two major civil defense exercises, with the drills lasting ten days. These drills have included urban combat, mass casualty simulations, emergency supply drops and cyber defense that could be enacted if an invasion was to occur. CNN's Senior International Correspondent, Will Ripley, reports. 01:44 - Source: CNN Deadly flooding grips South Korea for days South Korea has been ravaged for days by intense flooding that's left more than a dozen people dead. Reuters reported more than 16 inches of rain fell in one area in just 24 hours, citing the country's Interior and Safety Ministry. 00:48 - Source: CNN Brazil's Lula tells Christiane Amanpour: Trump 'Was not elected to be emperor of the world' Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva tells CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview it was 'a surprise' to see President Donald Trump's letter posted to Truth Social, threatening Brazil with a crippling tariff of 50% starting August 1st. Lula says that he initially thought the letter was 'fake news.' Watch the full 'Amanpour' interview on CNN. 01:33 - Source: CNN Gaza's only Catholic church hit by Israeli strike Gaza's only Catholic church was struck by an Israeli tank, killing three and injuring many more, church officials said. It became internationally recognized after reports emerged that the late Pope Francis used to call the church daily. CNN's Nada Bashir reports 00:53 - Source: CNN Prince Harry recreates his mother's historic landmine walk Following in his mother's footsteps, Prince Harry visited Angola's minefields just as Princess Diana did 28 years ago. The Duke of Sussex was in Angola with The Halo Trust as part of the group's efforts to clear landmines. 00:39 - Source: CNN Massive fire destroys Tomorrowland's main stage Tomorrowland's main stage went up in flames just days ahead of the festival's opening in Boom, Belgium. 00:38 - Source: CNN How Trump's image is changing inside Russia Once hailed as a pro-Kremlin figure, President Donald Trump's image is changing inside Russia. It comes after Trump vowed further sanctions on the country if a peace agreement with Ukraine is not reached in 50 days. CNN's Chief Global Affairs Correspondent is on the ground in Moscow with the analysis. 01:41 - Source: CNN Who are the armed groups clashing in Syria? Dozens were killed in Syria this week after clashes between government loyalists and Druze militias in the southern city of Suwayda, prompting Syrian forces to intervene. That, in turn, triggered renewed Israeli airstrikes. 01:57 - Source: CNN Syrian anchor takes cover from airstrike live on TV An airstrike on the Syrian Ministry of Defense was captured live on Syria TV, forcing the anchor to take cover. Israel has been carrying out airstrikes on Syria as part of its commitment to protect the Druze, an Arab minority at the center of clashes with government loyalists. 00:30 - Source: CNN
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Parents to sue police force over death of transgender teenager
The mother and stepfather of a transgender teenager who took his own life after going missing are taking High Court legal action against a police force whose response was found to have potentially contributed to his death. Jason Pulman was found dead aged 15 in Hampden Park in Eastbourne in April 2022, with an inquest jury finding in April last year that his emotional and mental needs were 'inadequately assessed and provided for' by multiple services, and that police 'responded inadequately' to his going missing. Emily and Mark Pulman are now suing Sussex Police over an alleged breach of human rights, with around 10 hours passing between Jason being reported missing and an officer first attending their family home. Jason Pulman (Image: Family handout/INQUEST/PA Wire) They claim the force 'failed properly or at all to protect Jason against the risk of suicide' after he was graded only a 'medium risk', and that there was a 'real prospect of a different outcome' if there was a 'reasonable response' to Jason's disappearance. They also say the force is 'flip-flopping' over its position and whether it has learned from Jason's death. Sussex Police has expressed its 'sincere condolences' to Jason's family. Speaking to the PA news agency, the couple said Jason's death, the subsequent inquest and legal battle had been 'devastating'. Mrs Pulman, 39, said: 'If the police can actually take accountability for what has happened and what went wrong, that is the only way they can start making changes.' She continued: 'I think about Jason and how much he used to fight for things he believed in. He used to go to protests and research and get involved in different things because he wanted to make change. 'I want to try and get some change for kids like Jason, as I know that that is what he would want as well. 'When I feel like quitting, I have got Jason's cheeky little head in my head, with his outfit, with all his badges on, saying 'you must fight for what you believe', and that is what gives me strength.' Jason began identifying as a male aged around 14, but never received specialist gender dysphoria treatment due to assessment delays. In documents filed at the High Court by law firm Bindmans, Nick Armstrong KC, for Mr and Mrs Pulman, claimed Jason also received insufficient mental health support. On April 19 2022, Mrs Pulman discovered Jason was missing from their home in East Sussex and called the police. She informed a call handler that Jason was transgender, had previously self-harmed and attempted to take his own life, and may have taken public transport. Jason Pulman and his stepfather Mark Pulman, and his mother, Emily Pulman (Image: Family handout/Bindmans Lawyers London/PA Wire) The call handler graded Jason as medium-risk, but an officer did not look at the case for more than three hours after the first call, despite Mrs Pulman ringing police twice more and stating Jason had informed a friend he was travelling to London, most likely by train. Jason remained graded as medium-risk, the British Transport Police (BTP) were not notified, and an officer did not attend the family's home for almost 10 hours after the first call. This was despite there being 'other opportunities' to intercept Jason, Mr Armstrong said. Around an hour after police visited the house, Jason was found dead in Hampden Park by a member of the public. In a prevention of future deaths report last year, a coroner said Jason died 'potentially through his mental health and gender identity issues', and that it was 'also possible Jason may have been prevented from committing suicide' if BTP was made aware that he was missing. Mr Armstrong said police knew or should have known that Jason 'represented a real and immediate risk of life-threatening harm', but that their response was 'slow, and strikingly casual'. He continued that Jason was a 'source of unlimited joy', describing him as 'funny, mischievous, artistic, rude and unconventional', and that his death was an 'unimaginable tragedy'. Nine days after Jason's death, Mr and Mrs Pulman met then-chief superintendent Katy Woolford. Mr Armstrong said that Ms Woolford told the Pulmans that they had done 'everything right' - but also added that there had been failings by the police, including not immediately grading Jason as high-risk. But the barrister continued that there was a 'significant and distressing shift in the police's evidence' at Jason's inquest, with the force allegedly seeking to exclude evidence related to the meeting with Ms Woolford and claiming there was 'no arguable omission by anyone'. The force accepted the inquest findings, stating that its service 'fell below the standards expected', but is accused of changing its stance again when the family threatened to bring legal action. (Image: Family handout/Bindmans Lawyers London/PA Wire) Mr Armstrong said that the force's 'reversal and re-reversal' on its position was 'shameful', adding: 'The claimants do not know whether the defendant has or has not learned from the inquest process.' Mrs Pulman said: 'You feel like you're getting close to answers and closure as to what happened and what has been happening, and then it is pulled away again.' She continued: 'It's like torture, because you're getting somewhere, then you're kicked down.' Mr Pulman, 50, said the force's 'flip-flopping' left the pair feeling 'let down, hurt and confused', which, combined with the emotional impact of Jason's death, means he feels 'hopeless'. He said: 'No amount of money, no apology, is going to make up for three years of what they've done, because that's long-term damage.' A Sussex Police spokesperson said: 'Our sincere condolences remain with Jason's family following their tragic loss; however, we are unable to comment further whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.'
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Couple sue police force at High Court over death of transgender teenager
The mother and stepfather of a transgender teenager who took his own life after going missing are taking High Court legal action against a police force whose response was found to have potentially contributed to his death. Jason Pulman was found dead aged 15 in Hampden Park in Eastbourne in April 2022, with an inquest jury finding in April last year that his emotional and mental needs were 'inadequately assessed and provided for' by multiple services, and that police 'responded inadequately' to his going missing. Emily and Mark Pulman are now suing Sussex Police over an alleged breach of human rights, with around 10 hours passing between Jason being reported missing and an officer first attending their family home. They claim the force 'failed properly or at all to protect Jason against the risk of suicide' after he was graded only a 'medium risk', and that there was a 'real prospect of a different outcome' if there was a 'reasonable response' to Jason's disappearance. They also say the force is 'flip-flopping' over its position and whether it has learned from Jason's death. The force has expressed its 'sincere condolences' to Jason's family. Speaking to the PA news agency, the couple said Jason's death, the subsequent inquest and legal battle had been 'devastating'. Mrs Pulman, 39, said: 'If the police can actually take accountability for what has happened and what went wrong, that is the only way they can start making changes.' She continued: 'I think about Jason and how much he used to fight for things he believed in. He used to go to protests and research and get involved in different things because he wanted to make change.' 'I want to try and get some change for kids like Jason, as I know that that is what he would want as well. 'When I feel like quitting, I have got Jason's cheeky little head in my head, with his outfit, with all his badges on, saying 'you must fight for what you believe', and that is what gives me strength.' Jason began identifying as a male aged around 14, but never received specialist gender dysphoria treatment due to assessment delays. In documents filed at the High Court by law firm Bindmans, Nick Armstrong KC, for Mr and Mrs Pulman, claimed Jason also received insufficient mental health support. On April 19 2022, Mrs Pulman discovered Jason was missing from their home in East Sussex and called the police. She informed a call handler that Jason was transgender, had previously self-harmed and attempted to take his own life, and may have taken public transport. The call handler graded Jason as medium-risk, but an officer did not look at the case for more than three hours after the first call, despite Mrs Pulman ringing police twice more and stating Jason had informed a friend he was travelling to London, most likely by train. Jason remained graded as medium-risk, the British Transport Police (BTP) were not notified, and an officer did not attend the family's home for almost 10 hours after the first call. This was despite there being 'other opportunities' to intercept Jason, Mr Armstrong said. Around an hour after police visited the house, Jason was found dead in Hampden Park by a member of the public. In a prevention of future deaths report last year, a coroner said Jason died 'potentially through his mental health and gender identity issues', and that it was 'also possible Jason may have been prevented from committing suicide' if BTP was made aware that he was missing. Mr Armstrong said police knew or should have known that Jason 'represented a real and immediate risk of life-threatening harm', but that their response was 'slow, and strikingly casual'. He continued that Jason was a 'source of unlimited joy', describing him as 'funny, mischievous, artistic, rude and unconventional', and that his death was an 'unimaginable tragedy'. Nine days after Jason's death, Mr and Mrs Pulman met then-chief superintendent Katy Woolford. Mr Armstrong said that Ms Woolford told the Pulmans that they had done 'everything right' and that there had been failings by the police, including not immediately grading Jason as high-risk. But the barrister continued that there was a 'significant and distressing shift in the police's evidence' at Jason's inquest, with the force allegedly seeking to exclude evidence related to the meeting with Ms Woolford and claiming there was 'no arguable omission by anyone'. The force accepted the inquest findings, stating that its service 'fell below the standards expected', but is accused of changing its stance again when the family threatened to bring legal action. Mr Armstrong said that the force's 'reversal and re-reversal' on its position was 'shameful', adding: 'The claimants do not know whether the defendant has or has not learned from the inquest process.' Mrs Pulman said: 'You feel like you're getting close to answers and closure as to what happened and what has been happening, and then it is pulled away again.' She continued: 'It's like torture, because you're getting somewhere, then you're kicked down.' Mr Pulman, 50, said the force's 'flip-flopping' left the pair feeling 'let down, hurt and confused', which, combined with the emotional impact of Jason's death, means he feels 'hopeless'. He said: 'No amount of money, no apology, is going to make up for three years of what they've done, because that's long-term damage.' A Sussex Police spokesperson said: 'Our sincere condolences remain with Jason's family following their tragic loss; however, we are unable to comment further whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.'
