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Congress: Speak out against attacks on human rights defenders in El Salvador!

In recent weeks, the government of El Salvador has released a wave of repression against community organizers and human rights defenders - and international solidarity is URGENT.

On May 12, riot and military police violently repressed a peaceful vigil by members of the El Bosque agricultural cooperative and arrested cooperative president, Don Ángel Pérez, a pastor. The next morning, police arrested environmental attorney Alejandro Henríquez, who had been supporting the community and had previously helped present a constitutional challenge to the Bukele government's new mining law.

Days later, on May 18, police arrested one of El Salvador's most prominent attorneys, Ruth López, head of the Anti-Corruption Unit at international human rights organization, Cristosal. López and her team have presented at least 15 legal challenges against the Bukele government

The arrests escalate the government's attack on the right to organize, following on the heels of the arrest of over 20 members of the La Floresta community and of outspoken human rights defender Fidel Zavala in February.

Organizations in El Salvador are calling for international denouncements of these brazen attacks on human rights defenders, including from elected officials.

Call on your Representative and Senators to speak out - and help keep international eyes on El Salvador.

Senate Democrats recently supported a bill that would have required the Trump administration to provide answers on human rights in El Salvador, including the conditions to which migrants the U.S. is paying to jail there are being subjected.

Now, we need to push them to keep speaking out and echo the call for the immediate release of jailed human rights defenders in El Salvador.

By filling out the form at right, you can also encourage your Representative to co-sponsor a parallel bill in the House, H.R. 368.

We just need few pieces of information to find your senators' offices to be able to send them an email. Note: If the form asks you for a prefix and offers only limited options, this request is coming from the Congressional office, not CISPES. If it were up to us, you could fill in as you choose or skip altogether.

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Congress: Speak out against attacks on human rights defenders in El Salvador!

Thank your Senator for voting YES to demand answers on human rights in El Salvador

Subject: Thank you for upholding human rights in El Salvador

Message:

As your constituent, I want to thank you for voting yes on S.R. 195, which would have shed light on the widespread human rights violations in El Salvador under the unconstitutional government of Nayib Bukele and on the extent of U.S. support for these atrocities. I am very disappointed that it did not pass, and I urge you to continue to speak up for human rights and due process in El Salvador where, unfortunately, the situation faced by human rights defenders and the vulnerable communities for whom they advocate continues to worsen. On May 12, the government deployed riot police and military police on a group of mostly women, children, elderly and disabled community members who had organized a peaceful vigil to call on the president for help in the face of a looming mass eviction from their land. International organizations are calling for the release of two people who were arrested: a priest and community leader, Jose Angel Perez, and a prominent attorney, Alejandro Henriquez, who has been supporting the community. Most recently, on May 18, police arrested attorney Ruth Lopez, head of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit at the internationally recognized human rights organization, Cristosal. This is a clear and dangerous escalation of government attacks on human rights and legal defenders. While I am confident that you and your colleagues will continue the vital fight for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and the hundreds of other migrants and asylum-seekers who have been disappeared into El Salvador’s deadly prisons, I urge you to also denounce the Bukele government's abuses against its own population and call for the release of Alejandro, Angel, Ruth and other human rights defenders who have been unjustly detained.

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This senator voted to BLOCK a human rights report from El Salvador - share your reaction

Subject: Disappointed that you blocked transparency on El Salvador

Message:

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Your Senator did not vote on this motion - encourage them to press for action

Subject: Please take action for human rigths in El Salvador

Message:

I understand that a vote to bring S.R. 195 requiring a human rights report on El Salvador to the floor failed in the Senate. Moving forward, I hope that you will speak up and take action to defend human rights in El Salvador.

I don't want my tax dollars going to imprison immigrants in another country or to support foreign governments that are committing violations of human rights and international law, as is the case today in El Salvador. I hope you will support future votes to halt these practices and to take every available opportunity to protect due process rights for all.

I am similarly alarmed by President Trump's repeated suggestions to imprison U.S. citizens in El Salvador in violation of our constitution, and I urge you to publicly oppose this shocking suggestion and take action in the Senate to prevent this.

Urge your rep to cosponsor a parallel bill in the House

Subject: Support transparency in El Salvador, cosponsor H.R. 368

Message:

I am writing to encourage you to cosponsor H.R. 368 introduced by Rep. Castro requesting the administration report to Congress about steps being taken to "ensure that the Government of the Republic of El Salvador releases United States citizens or residents being detained or imprisoned in El Salvador in compliance with United States court orders regarding their return to the United States," as well as a comprehensive accounting of the broader human rights situation in the country. This resolution will allow Congress to better understand the conditions to which people are being subjected in El Salvador’s prisons and what actions the administration is taking to provide due process in compliance with U.S. law. This is urgent not only for migrants and asylum seekers whom the U.S. is now paying El Salvador to jail in potentially life-threatening conditions, cut off completely from the outside world and denied access to their attorneys and family members, but also for U.S. citizens, whom President Trump has repeatedly suggested sending there as well. Over the past three years, the government of El Salvador has arrested more than 86,000 people without requiring a warrant, including reports of several U.S. citizens and permanent residents, under an ongoing "state of exception" that suspends many constitutional protections. International human rights bodies have documented the systematic denial of due process rights as well as widespread abuses, including physical beatings, torture, and denial of food, water, and basic medical attention. Human rights groups in El Salvador have documented the deaths of at least 368 people in custody in this same time period. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars are not contributing to human rights violations in El Salvador, whether against their own citizens or foreign nationals. I urge you to support this important resolution promoting transparency regarding the status of human rights in El Salvador and relevant U.S. actions under the Foreign Assistance Act.

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Your Rep is already a co-sponsor of a parallel bill in the House - thank them!

Subject: Thank you for supporting human rights in El Salvador

Message:

Thank you for cosponsoring H.Res 368 calling for transparency on human rights in El Salvador. I appreciate your leadership on this and encourage you to keep speaking out as the government of El Salvador escalates its attacks on human rights and legal defenders On May 12, the government deployed riot police and military police on a group of mostly women, children, elderly and disabled community members who had organized a peaceful vigil to call on the president for help in the face of a looming mass eviction from their land. International organizations are calling for the release of two people who were arrested: a priest and community leader, Jose Angel Perez, and a prominent attorney, Alejandro Henriquez, who has been supporting the community. Most recently, on May 18, police arrested attorney Ruth Lopez, head of the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit at the internationally recognized human rights organization, Cristosal. While I am confident that you and your colleagues will continue the vital fight for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and the hundreds of other migrants and asylum-seekers who have been disappeared into El Salvador’s deadly prisons, I urge you to also denounce the Bukele government's abuses against its own population and call for the release of Alejandro, Angel, Ruth and other human rights defenders who have been unjustly detained.

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Your Senator has already spoken out against Ruth Lopez' arrest- thank them!

Subject: Thank you for upholding human rights in El Salvador

Message:

As your constituent, I want to thank you for voting yes on S.R. 195, which would have shed light on the widespread human rights violations in El Salvador under the unconstitutional government of Nayib Bukele and on the extent of U.S. support for these atrocities and for your recent statement denouncing the arrest of attorney Ruth Lopez. This type of international response is critical not only for her safety but for that of others who may be targeted in the future. As you know, the situation faced by human rights defenders and the vulnerable communities for whom they advocate continues to worsen. Days prior to Ruth's arrest, On May 12, the government deployed riot police and military police on a group of mostly women, children, elderly and disabled community members who had organized a peaceful vigil to call on the president for help in the face of a looming mass eviction from their land. International organizations are calling for the release of two people who were arrested: a priest and community leader, Jose Angel Perez, and a prominent attorney, Alejandro Henriquez, who has been supporting the community. This is a clear and dangerous escalation of government attacks on human rights and legal defenders. I urge you to continue to denounce the Bukele government's abuses against its own population and call for the release of Alejandro, Angel, and other human rights defenders who have been unjustly detained. Thank you.

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Your Rep has already spoken out - thank them!

Subject: Thank you for upholding human rights in El Salvador

Message:

As your constituent, I want to thank you for your recent statement denouncing the arrest of prominent human rights attorney in El Salvador, Ruth Lopez. This type of international response is critical not only for her safety but for that of others who may be targeted in the future. As you know, the situation faced by human rights defenders and the vulnerable communities for whom they advocate continues to worsen. Days prior to Ruth's arrest, on May 12, the government deployed riot police and military police on a group of mostly women, children, elderly and disabled community members who had organized a peaceful vigil to call on the president for help in the face of a looming mass eviction from their land. International organizations are calling for the release of two people who were arrested: a priest and community leader, Jose Angel Perez, and a prominent attorney, Alejandro Henriquez, who has been supporting the community. This is a clear and dangerous escalation of government attacks on human rights and legal defenders. I hope you will continue to add your voice once again to call for the release of Alejandro, Angel, and other human rights defenders who have been unjustly detained or face persecution. I also urge you to become a co-sponsor of Rep. Castro's H.R. 368 in order to shed light on the widespread human rights violations in El Salvador and the extent of U.S. support for these atrocities. Importantly, the bill also demands answers on the fate of migrants and asylum seekers whom the U.S. is currently paying millions to imprison in El Salvador. Thank you.

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