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Congress: Speak up for jailed environmental defenders in El Salvador!

On January 11, 2023, five community leaders and environmental defenders were arrested in the rural community of Santa Marta, including leaders from the Economic and Social Development Association of El Salvador (ADES) who were at the forefront of the successful grassroots struggle to ban gold mining in 2017.

The community of Santa Marta’s long history of organization and the outstanding work of ADES - to fight for social transformation, defense of territories, and human rights - has inspired strong ties of international solidarity for more than four decades.

The community is urgently calling for international pressure, including from elected officials, to help free the Santa Marta 5.

Send an email to your Representative and Senators today. Ask them to speak out against these unjust arrests and call on the State Department to do the same!

In a clear case of political persecution, the Santa Marta water defenders have - without evidence - been accused of a questionable crime that allegedly took place 30 years ago in the context of El Salvador's civil war.

Despite their advanced age and several having serious medical conditions, a judge quickly sentenced the community leaders to a minimum of six months of preventative detention, the appeal of which has subsequently been held up by the courts. It has been over a month since their attorney or their family members have been able to make any contact with them.

Write to your Representative and Senators and ask them to speak out against these unjust detentions!

Such violations of due process and internationally protected rights have become the norm after constitutional rights were illegally suspended last year. Over 65,000 people have been arrested without warrants under the State of Exception and at least 100 people have died in custody awaiting a chance to prove their innocence.

The U.S. also bears responsibility for the human rights crisis in El Salvador, given its support for the Attorney General's office, the National Civilian Police and others who are carrying out these abuses.

Send a message to Congress today: Speak up for anti-mining activists unjustly detained in El Salvador!

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Congress: Speak up for jailed environmental defenders in El Salvador!

Your Representative

Subject: Please speak up for environmental defenders jailed in El Salvador

Message:

I am extremely concerned about the escalating human rights crisis in El Salvador. In January, five environmental defenders in the rural community of Santa Marta were arrested in another clear case of political persecution and attacks on the grassroots opposition by the Bukele regime. I am writing to you today to ask you to speak out against these unjust detentions to bring much-needed international attention to this case. Among those arrested are prominent leaders of the anti-mining movement that led to the world's first ban on metallic mining being approved in El Salvador in 2017, which environmental organizations warn the Bukele government seeks to overturn or undermine. These community leaders have been accused - without evidence - of a questionable crime that allegedly took place 30 years in the context of El Salvador's civil war. More significantly, prosecution of this alleged crime represents an alarming violation of the 1992 National Reconciliation Law that was part of the United Nations-brokered 1992 Peace Accords. Despite their advanced age and several having serious medical conditions, the Santa Marta environmental defenders were quickly sentenced to a minimum of six months of preventative detention, the appeal of which has been held up by the courts. They are also being denied access to their attorney. It has been over a month since their attorney or any family member has been able to make any contact with them. Such violations of due process and internationally protected rights have become commonplace in El Salvador under an emergency measure suspending constitutional rights that has illegally continued for over a year. Over 65,000 people have been arrested without warrants under the State of Exception and at least 100 people have died in custody awaiting a chance to prove their innocence. Considering the atrocious conditions in Salvadoran prisons, which have been documented and denounced by the United Nations and numerous human rights organizations, it is urgent that governments around the world take action to help ensure the immediate release of the Santa Marta water defenders. I would also like to hear back from you as to whether the United States is continuing to fund the Attorney General's office, the police and the military in El Salvador in light of these and other abuses. Will you speak out against the unjust detention of the Santa Marta water defenders and call on the State Department to do the same? Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

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Your representative has committed to taking action - please thank them!

Subject: Thank you for your attention to jailed water defenders in El Salvador

Message:

I am heartened to know you share my concern about the escalating human rights crisis in El Salvador. As you know, five environmental defenders in the rural community of Santa Marta were arrested in January in another clear case of political persecution and attacks on the grassroots opposition by the Bukele regime. I understand that you are following the case and I hope that you will speak out against these unjust detentions, which will help bring much-needed international attention to this case and raise your concerns with the U.S. State Department. As I understand it, the community leaders, who were summarily sentenced to six months pretrial detention, despite their advanced age and serious medical conditions for several of them, are currently being denied access to their attorney. It has been over a month since their attorney or any family member has been able to make any contact with them. The appeal regarding their pre-trial detention is also being held up by the courts. Considering the atrocious conditions in Salvadoran prisons, which have been documented and denounced by the United Nations and numerous human rights organizations, international action to help ensure the immediate release of the Santa Marta water defenders is urgent. I would also like to know from your office whether the United States is continuing to provide support for the Attorney General's office and the National Civilian Police who are carrying out these abuses of law. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

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Your Senators

Subject: Please speak up for environmental defenders jailed in El Salvador

Message:

I am extremely concerned about the escalating human rights crisis in El Salvador. In January, five environmental defenders in the rural community of Santa Marta were arrested in another clear case of political persecution and attacks on the grassroots opposition by the Bukele regime. I am writing to you today to ask you to speak out against these unjust detentions to bring much-needed international attention to this case. Among those arrested are prominent leaders of the anti-mining movement that led to the world's first ban on metallic mining being approved in El Salvador in 2017, which environmental organizations warn the Bukele government seeks to overturn or undermine. These community leaders have been accused - without evidence - of a questionable crime that allegedly took place 30 years in the context of El Salvador's civil war. More significantly, prosecution of this alleged crime represents an alarming violation of the 1992 National Reconciliation Law that was part of the United Nations-brokered Peace Accords process. Despite their advanced age and several having serious medical conditions, the Santa Marta environmental defenders were quickly sentenced to a minimum of six months of preventative detention, the appeal of which has been held up by the courts. They are also being denied access to their attorney. It has been over a month since their attorney or any family member has been able to make any contact with them, including to verify their health and safety. Such violations of due process and internationally protected rights have become commonplace in El Salvador under an emergency measure suspending constitutional rights that has illegally continued for over a year. Over 65,000 people have been arrested without warrants under the State of Exception and at least 100 people have died in custody awaiting a chance to prove their innocence. Considering the atrocious conditions in Salvadoran prisons, which have been documented and denounced by the United Nations and numerous human rights organizations, it is urgent that governments around the world take action to help ensure the immediate release of the Santa Marta water defenders. I would also like to hear back from you as to whether the United States is continuing to fund the Attorney General's office, the police and the military in El Salvador in light of these and other abuses. Will you speak out against the unjust detention of the Santa Marta water defenders and call on the State Department to do the same? Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

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