El Salvador issues first life sentence for femicide

A court in El Salvador has handed down the country’s first life sentence for femicide, following recent constitutional and legislative reforms. The conviction follows the murder of a woman by a neighbor who had been systematically harassing her.

The ruling marks the first application of stricter laws promoted by President Nayib Bukele. Previously, the maximum possible sentence in El Salvador was 60 years, with various mechanisms available to reduce prison terms. However, in April, the Salvadoran Congress abolished the constitutional ban on life imprisonment, allowing the penalty to be applied to crimes such as murder, rape, and terrorism.

President Bukele has been a primary advocate for these changes as part of his administration's broader crackdown on crime. While crime rates have reached historic lows during his tenure, his policies and the state of emergency have faced criticism from United Nations experts and non-governmental organizations regarding human rights concerns.