International Organisations demand the release of defenders Alejandro Henríquez and José Ángel Pérez in El Salvador
6th November 2025
The undersigned international organisations condemn the arbitrary detention of environmental defender Alejandro Henríquez and community leader José Ángel Pérez, who have been detained since May 2025 in El Salvador. Both were arrested during a peaceful protest against the forced eviction of more than 300 farming families who are part of the El Bosque Cooperative.
On October 29, a hearing on the case was held, during which the defence requested alternative measures for Alejandro and José Ángel after presenting evidence of strong community ties. The court rejected the request, and as a result, they remain in pre-trial detention. Both continue to be held incommunicado, without the ability to receive visits from their lawyers or relatives. Their lawyers state that, due to unsanitary conditions, their health has deteriorated.
Alejandro Henríquez is an environmental lawyer, a member of Foro del Agua and the Rebelión Verde Political Movement (ReverdES).
José Ángel Pérez is an evangelical pastor, president of the El Bosque Cooperative, and has over 25 years of community leadership. Along with defender Ruth López, Alejandro and José Ángel have been declared prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International.
The detentions of Alejandro and José Ángel are not isolated events; they are part of a systematic pattern by the Salvadoran State to silence human rights defenders, journalists, and critical voices through persecution, criminalisation, the enactment of restrictive laws against social organisations, and the closure of civic space.
The misuse of legal proceedings and the criminal justice system is occurring in a context of judicial co-optation, erosion of the separation of powers, and shrinking civic space in El Salvador. International bodies such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) have expressed concern about the improper use of the state of exception to detain human rights defenders, who have been charged with crimes unrelated to combating gangs.
For this reason, the undersigned organisations urge the Salvadoran authorities to:
● Immediately release Alejandro Henríquez and José Ángel Pérez, as well as all human rights defenders and critical voices who have been arbitrarily detained.
● Refrain from using pre-trial detention as a form of punishment against human rights defenders, which clearly contravenes due process guarantees and international human rights standards.
To the international community:
● Urge the State of El Salvador to immediately end the instrumentalisation of the criminal justice system against human rights defenders or individuals who express criticism of the government.
● Take urgent action—through diplomatic channels, assistance and conditional cooperation, among other means—to protect civic space, the rule of law, democracy, and human rights in El Salvador.
Signatory Organisations:
ARTICLE 19 Mexico and Central America
Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
CIVICUS, Global Alliance
Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES)
Flüchtlingshilfe Mittelamerika e.V. – Goch, Germany
Front Line Defenders
Latin America Working Group (LAWG)
Ecumenical Office for Peace and Justice is e.V. – Munich, Germany
World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
Protection International Mesoamerica
Rights & Security International (RSI)
Zehar-Errefuxiatuekin – Basque Country, Spain