[Episcopal News Service] El Salvador’s government on June 7 arrested Enrique Anaya, a constitutional lawyer who had criticized the May 18 arrest of Ruth López, a lawyer who leads the anti-corruption unit of Cristosal, an Episcopal-affiliated organization committed to defending human rights and promoting democratic rule of law in Central America.
CNN reported that Anaya had been a critic of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and that according to authorities, “the arrest is for his alleged involvement in money and asset laundering.”
Cristosal said in a June 7 post to its Facebook page that Anaya’s arrest “is part of a rapid escalation in the criminalization of those who defend the rule of law in El Salvador.”
López remains in detention after a June 4 court hearing in which the judge ordered her to be jailed for six months on charges of illegal enrichment, a charge she has denied. She had asked to have a public trial, but the hearing was closed to the public and remains under seal, according to the Associated Press. “Observers say the case against López is retaliation for her work, while authorities allege she aided one of her former employers being prosecuted for embezzlement,” the AP added.
The hearing followed Cristosal’s May 29 petition for habeas corpus on behalf of López, who had at that time been detained without a judicial warrant for 11 days.
In a statement the day after the court hearing, Cristosal said López’s provisional detention “represents a serious setback for due process and an alarming sign of the political use of the judicial system in El Salvador. We believe this measure not only violates Ruth’s fundamental rights but also confirms a systematic pattern of criminalization against those who defend democracy, transparency and human rights.”
On Facebook, the organization added, “We reiterate that imprisoning Ruth is a political act, not a judicial decision. They want us to be afraid, but now more than ever we have reason to speak out. She is not alone.”
López had been scheduled to participate in a May 20 webinar organized by Episcopal Divinity School. Seminary officials, other Episcopal leaders and global justice advocates are joining Cristosal in drawing attention to the situation while pleading for her safe return.
That includes Human Rights Watch, a non-profit that works to highlight abuses around the world, which posted a video about López on Facebook; and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, whose president, Kerry Kennedy, offered support for López and the work of Cristosal.
— Melodie Woerman is an Episcopal News Service freelance reporter based in Kansas.