More than one hundred civil society organisations from the Americas and Europe express our profound concern and indignation at the arrest of Salvadoran Lawyer Ruth López, Head of Cristosal’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
On the night of Sunday, May 18, agents of the National Civil Police in El Salvador arrived at her home, and since then, her whereabouts are unknown. To this moment, Ruth López remains deprived of liberty, without access to legal representation and contact with her family. This practice, which prevents people from knowing their legal situation and exercising their right to defense, constitutes a serious violation of due process and an enforced disappearance.
Ruth López is a human rights defender who has been involved in multiple key cases against corruption and injustice in El Salvador, including investigations into the current administration of President Nayib Bukele. The Attorney General’s Office has indicated that her arrest is related to acts of corruption during the administration of Sánchez Cerén.
As civil society organisations, we are familiar with and value the work of Cristosal. We express our deep concern and denounce this fact as part of a disturbing pattern of criminalisation against critical and independent voices. In the context of massive violations of the human rights of persons deprived of their liberty:
We demand that the Salvadoran State:
- Inform about the place where Ruth López is deprived of liberty
- Allow Ruth López to have contact with her team of lawyers.
- Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Ruth López.
We are concerned about the loss of independence of the administration of justice and the guarantee of the rights of persons deprived of liberty in El Salvador. We call on the international community, human rights defenders, and all people committed to justice to raise our voices for Ruth Lopez, a courageous woman who has dedicated her life to defending human rights and the fight against impunity in her country.