Kilmar Ábrego García alleges torture and abuse in El Salvador prison

García, a water defender, was imprisoned without charge in El Salvador

Kilmar Ábrego García, a water defender in El Salvador, alleges abuse and torture at the hands of
authorities at a prison in San Salvador. García has been held without charge since March
for protesting against alleged water contamination in the town of Antiguo Cuscatlán. Following a ruling
by the country's top court that the prosecution led by the Attorney General's office was illegal,
authorities have been ordered to release him.

Background on the case

A judge ordered García's provisional release in June, but he
was not released. The ruling came after a petition from García's legal team, who
provided evidence of his innocence and argued that his detention had been
politically motivated. Previous legal attempts to gain his freedom have
been unsuccessful, even with evidence of his innocence.

García was arrested in March 2016 after he and
fellow activists blocked roads and confiscated empty trucks that were
supposed to be fixing a sewage problem in their town. He was
charged with defamation, obstruction of public services, and
resisting authorities, but these charges were dropped.

García and his legal team contend that the
Attorney General's office fabricated evidence and used false witnesses
to charge him with arms trafficking, organised crime, and money laundering
related to a murder in 2018. The country's top court ruled that the
prosecution had acted illegally and that there was no justification for
his ongoing pre-trial detention.

Criticisms of El Salvador's government

García's case has shone a spotlight on the
government's treatment of activists and its commitment to human rights.
It has also prompted questions about the rule of law in the country and
whether authorities are willing to listen to and protect its citizens,
especially those advocating for environmental causes.

Speaking to reporters outside the prison following his release, García said he would continue to fight for the
rights of others, despite receiving numerous death threats
and being targeted by the government.