Mass trial for 486 alleged MS-13 gang leaders begins in El Salvador
Summary
El Salvador has started a large trial of 486 people accused of leading the MS-13 gang. They face charges for thousands of crimes, including murder and drug trafficking, linked to gang violence from 2012 to 2022. The government says it has strong evidence and aims to give harsh punishments.Key Facts
- 486 suspected MS-13 gang leaders are on trial in El Salvador.
- The accused are linked to more than 47,000 crimes from 2012 to 2022, such as murder, extortion, drug and arms trafficking.
- The trial includes suspects involved in a deadly gang violence spike in March 2022 that killed 87 people in one weekend.
- 413 suspects are in custody; 73 are being tried in their absence as arrest warrants were issued.
- MS-13 was founded in Los Angeles in the 1980s by Salvadoran immigrants and is now mainly active in Central America.
- The Salvadoran government declared a "war on gangs" in 2022 and has put a state of emergency in place, allowing mass arrests and trials.
- Human rights groups have raised concerns about arbitrary detentions during this crackdown.
- Charges include murder, femicide (killing of women because of their gender), disappearances, and rebellion to control territory like a parallel state.
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