El Salvador hands down first life sentence for femicide
A court in El Salvador sentenced a 39-year-old man to life imprisonment for aggravated femicide. This is the first life sentence in the country’s history in a femicide case, Deutsche Welle reports, citing a statement by El Salvador’s Attorney General’s Office.
Murder in Santa Ana
The defendant was found guilty of murdering his neighbor, whom he stabbed to death in August in the city of Santa Ana in western El Salvador. According to prosecutors, the man had repeatedly stalked and harassed the woman before the attack.
The prosecution said it secured the life sentence 42 days after the crime. The agency’s statement says the verdict was for aggravated femicide.
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Legislative changes
In April, El Salvador’s parliament approved reforms allowing life imprisonment for serious crimes, including murder, rape, femicide and terrorism. Previously, the maximum prison sentence in the country was 60 years, and convicts could seek a reduction for good behavior.
The reforms are part of President Nayib Bukele’s policy aimed at combating crime and improving security. He governs the country under a state of emergency, and more than 90,000 people have been imprisoned as part of the anti-gang campaign. At the same time, UN experts and non-governmental organizations have expressed concerns about human rights violations during the campaign.
The problem of gender-based killings
El Salvador has one of the world’s highest femicide rates. In the 2010s, it often exceeded 12 femicides per 100,000 women, and more than 500 women were killed in the country in 2016. According to feminist organizations, lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation, as women were more frequently subjected to domestic violence and had limited access to support services.
