Bertha Deleón is an exiled Salvadoran lawyer. She has publicly commented on El Salvador’s state of emergency, which was declared in March 2022 and under which authorities arrested more than 90,000 people. The emergency suspended fundamental rights including the right to be informed of the reasons for detention, the right to access legal counsel, and the right to visitation. Human rights groups have condemned the emergency, saying it has led to widespread arbitrary arrests.

In a post on X, Deleón wrote that victims of arbitrary detentions deserve not only to recover their freedom but also to be compensated for harms caused by the State of El Salvador, including physical and mental harm from imprisonment, family suffering, loss of work or studies, and reputational damage.

Her statement came after President Nayib Bukele announced a plan to release up to 50% of people imprisoned under the state of emergency, focusing on those considered gang collaborators.