El Salvador’s state of exception was declared in March 2022 after a series of gang-related killings that left 87 people dead. The measure enabled mass arrests of people suspected of gang connections and allowed arrests without a warrant. It has been repeatedly extended.

The emergency suspended rights including being informed of the reasons for detention, access to legal counsel and visitation. Authorities have arrested more than 90,000 people under the measure, according to the supplied news report. The government says the crackdown targets gangs including MS-13 and Barrio 18; human rights groups have criticized it over alleged arbitrary arrests and other harms.

Human rights organizations cited in the news report registered more than 6,000 complaints during the emergency and documented at least 575 deaths in government custody. President Nayib Bukele has defended maintaining the measure while expressing an intention to end it eventually.