El Salvador expands juvenile life terms to 12-year-olds amid crackdown
El Salvador published a constitutional amendment allowing life imprisonment for minors as young as 12 for serious crimes (homicide, terrorism, rape), with the law taking effect on April 26 as part of a broad anti-gang crackdown under a state of emergency. The move has drawn widespread concern from UNICEF and human-rights groups who warn it harms child development and may not reduce crime, while supporters say it targets dangerous offenders; the regime has overseen mass arrests and ~90,000 detainees since 2022, in a climate of reduced civil liberties and controversial mass-trial practices.
