Bukele’s brutal prisons? : A Human Rights crisis
The Department Against Transnational Organized Crime is a committee dedicated to assisting OAS member states to fight against criminal groups. The Delegate's objective is to reach and structure solutions for critical issues, mostly increasing around the world; although, today they started discussing about the Terrorism in Salvadoran territory and how Bukele has been working to stop it. Different Latin American governments are thinking of implementing the same strategies.
The committee by now has reached the second moderated debate. However, in the first part of the session they discussed Human Rights and how they are being affected. The delegate of Peru has had an important role inside the committee, rousing the debate and starting with different questions. The delegate asks the committee to share resources to reach a balance between having reinforced prisons, whilst safeguarding their inmates’ basic rights as humans. It should not even be considered having institutions under inhuman conditions, no matter the crime they committed.
The delegate of Panama has established different arguments in the whole session. Right after agreeing with Peru, she commented on information such as the following: Every committed murder has violated at least three human rights. In other words, the inmates inside the massive prison are people who had dismanaged the rights. Nevertheless, the delegations believe it is not a reason to have them in miserable conditions. Examples of these are having children, women and men in the same institution, overcrowding jails, and abuse of power by police officers. These are the conditions that are being highlighted by the committee and against the use of these prisons.
Hopefully, the committee could reach a decision that benefits both sides. Finding solutions for the end of organized crime groups, while always keeping in mind their rights and the fact that even though they have committed a crime, they are humans. They should be treated respectfully and caring for their well-being, with an efficient approach in creating a safe future for the next generations.
