“You Have Arrived in Hell”: Torture and Other Abuses Against Venezuelans in El Salvador’s Mega Prison | HRW – Human Rights Watch

Executive Summary

This report details the findings of a joint investigation by Human Rights Watch and Cristosal into the transfer of 252 Venezuelan nationals from the United States to the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) in El Salvador during March and April 2025. The investigation, based on interviews with 40 former detainees and 150 individuals with credible knowledge, reveals systematic human rights violations that constitute a severe breach of international law and a significant setback for the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The actions taken by the governments of the United States and El Salvador directly undermine SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The findings indicate a pattern of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and inhumane treatment, demonstrating a failure of state institutions to protect vulnerable populations and uphold the rule of law.

Background: Violation of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

The transfer of Venezuelan migrants to a third country where they possessed no genuine ties represents a significant failure to adhere to international norms for migration management, directly contravening the principles of SDG 10, particularly Target 10.7, which calls for orderly, safe, and responsible migration. Furthermore, the justification for these transfers—allegations of terrorism that were unsubstantiated for many individuals—points to a discriminatory application of law, undermining SDG 10’s core principle of reducing inequality based on origin and status.

Arbitrary Detention and Enforced Disappearance

The detention of the 252 Venezuelans in CECOT was found to be arbitrary, lacking any identifiable legal basis under international human rights law. This action is a direct violation of SDG 16.3, which aims to promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice for all. The investigation found that:

• Both the US and Salvadoran governments refused to disclose information regarding the detainees’ whereabouts, an act amounting to enforced disappearance.
• US authorities removed detainees from the public ICE Online Detainee Locator System, obstructing access to information for families and legal counsel.
• Salvadoran courts failed to respond to 76 habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of the detainees.
• This lack of transparency and due process places individuals outside the protection of the law, fundamentally challenging the development of the effective, accountable, and transparent institutions called for in SDG 16.6.

Systematic Failure to Uphold SDG 16: Violence, Torture, and Institutional Abuse

The treatment of detainees within CECOT constitutes a grave violation of SDG 16.1, which seeks to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates. The investigation documents systematic and repeated acts of torture and ill-treatment, indicating a state-sanctioned practice rather than isolated incidents.

Torture and Inhumane Treatment

All 40 former detainees interviewed reported being subjected to serious physical and psychological abuse on a near-daily basis. These acts were designed to subjugate, humiliate, and discipline detainees, and include:

1. Beatings Upon Arrival: Detainees were beaten with fists, kicks, and batons by riot police and guards from the moment they disembarked in El Salvador and throughout their transfer to and entry into CECOT.
2. Punitive Beatings: Severe beatings were administered as retaliation following events such as the visit of the US Secretary of Homeland Security, visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and two prison protests.
3. Abuse During Cell Searches: Daily cell searches were used as a pretext to inflict physical punishment, with detainees forced into stress positions and beaten.
4. Collective Punishment: Entire cells were punished for the alleged rule-breaking of a single individual, further demonstrating the arbitrary and violent nature of the detention regime.
5. Sexual Violence: The report documents cases of sexual violence by guards, including sexual abuse with batons and forced oral sex, representing a profound violation of human dignity and a failure to protect individuals from violence, as mandated by SDG 16 and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Severe Impacts on SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The conditions and treatment at CECOT created a life-threatening environment that directly contravenes SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. The state’s failure to provide basic necessities and care has resulted in lasting physical and psychological harm.

Inhumane Prison Conditions

• Denial of Basic Hygiene and Sanitation: Detainees were held in filthy conditions with mold, contaminated water, and no access to adequate hygiene products, creating a high risk for the spread of communicable diseases, contrary to SDG 3.3.
• Inadequate Food and Nutrition: Food provided was of poor quality, in small portions, and sometimes undercooked, leading to hunger and malnutrition, which undermines SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3.
• Lack of Access to Healthcare: Medical care was systematically denied or inadequate. Detainees with preexisting conditions had their treatments discontinued, and those who became ill or were injured from beatings were often ignored or punished for requesting medical attention.
• Psychological Trauma: The constant physical abuse, threats, and incommunicado detention have inflicted severe and lasting psychological trauma, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, directly impacting SDG 3.4 (promote mental health and well-being).

Recommendations for Advancing Sustainable Development Goals

To rectify these violations and align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Human Rights Watch and Cristosal issue the following recommendations.

To the Government of the United States:

1. Cease all transfers of third-country nationals to El Salvador to uphold commitments under SDG 10.7 (safe migration) and SDG 16 (justice and human rights).
2. Disclose all agreements with El Salvador related to migrant transfers to ensure the institutional transparency required by SDG 16.6.
3. Provide a genuine opportunity for affected Venezuelan migrants to return to the United States to continue their asylum claims, respecting the right to seek asylum as a cornerstone of international justice (SDG 16).
4. Cease all funding to Salvadoran security and prison systems until verifiable steps are taken to ensure accountability, in line with SDG 16 and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

To the Government of El Salvador:

1. Take urgent measures to prevent torture and ill-treatment in all detention facilities, ensuring independent oversight and accountability to meet the standards of SDG 16.1.
2. Conduct credible investigations into the abuses documented at CECOT and hold all responsible officials accountable.
3. Ensure all detainees are provided with adequate food, water, hygiene, and healthcare, in accordance with the state’s obligation to uphold SDG 3.
4. End the regime of incommunicado detention and allow access by independent oversight bodies to promote the transparent and accountable institutions required by SDG 16.6.

To Other Governments and International Bodies:

• Publicly condemn the human rights violations committed and urge the US and El Salvador to adhere to their international obligations, reinforcing the global partnership for sustainable development (SDG 17).
• Relevant UN bodies, including the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Committee Against Torture, should investigate allegations of systematic torture in El Salvador’s prisons to uphold the global commitment to SDG 16.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights severe human rights violations against Venezuelan migrants, connecting directly to several Sustainable Development Goals that focus on justice, health, and inequality.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This is the most central SDG addressed in the article. The report details a complete breakdown of justice and institutional integrity. It describes systematic violence, torture, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearances perpetrated by state actors in El Salvador, with the complicity of the United States. The article states, “Human Rights Watch and Cristosal found that the 252 Venezuelans were subjected to what amounts to arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance under international human rights law.” Furthermore, it highlights the lack of accountability and transparency from both governments, which are core tenets of strong institutions.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article focuses on the vulnerability of migrants and asylum seekers, a group often subject to inequality. The actions described—transferring migrants to a third country without due process and subjecting them to abuse—demonstrate a profound inequality in the application of law and human rights protections. The report explicitly criticizes the violation of migrants’ rights, stating, “The US government also violated its legal obligations to respect the principle of non-refoulement by transferring Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador despite easily foreseeable risks of torture and ill-treatment.” This directly contradicts the goal of ensuring safe and responsible migration.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The physical and mental health of the detainees is a major theme. The article extensively documents severe health impacts resulting from torture, beatings, sexual violence, and inhumane prison conditions. It notes, “Many people who were held in CECOT said they continue to suffer lasting physical injuries and psychological trauma.” The denial of adequate medical care, food, and sanitation, as well as the psychological abuse, are direct affronts to the goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets are clearly relevant.

1. Targets under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

     The article is a testament to the failure to meet this target. It provides detailed accounts of systematic violence, stating, “In CECOT, guards and riot police beat and abused the Venezuelans constantly.” It documents “constant beatings,” “sexual violence,” and other forms of ill-treatment that constitute torture, directly contravening the objective of reducing violence.

   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

     The report illustrates a complete disregard for the rule of law. The detention was arbitrary and lacked a legal basis. Detainees were denied access to legal counsel and communication with the outside world. The article notes that 76 habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of the detainees received no response from El Salvador’s Supreme Court, demonstrating a clear failure to provide access to justice.

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

     The actions of both the US and Salvadoran governments show a lack of accountability and transparency. The article states, “Neither the US nor El Salvador have fully disclosed the terms of the agreement under which the Venezuelan migrants were transferred.” Both governments refused to provide information on the detainees’ whereabouts, making them complicit in enforced disappearances and highlighting the ineffectiveness and opacity of the institutions involved.

2. Targets under SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies.

     The policies described in the article are the antithesis of this target. The transfer of migrants to a third country known for abusive prison conditions, without their consent or due process, is neither safe nor responsible. The report calls on the US government to “End any transfer or removal of third-country nationals and other people at risk of abuse to El Salvador,” directly addressing the need for responsible migration policies.

3. Targets under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.

     The article details severe psychological trauma inflicted on the detainees. One former detainee is quoted saying, “I am psychologically affected, sometimes I can’t sleep, I wake up anxious… I need psychological support.” The constant abuse, threats, and inhumane conditions directly undermine mental health and well-being, and the denial of medical care for pre-existing conditions fails the treatment aspect of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides substantial qualitative and some quantitative data that can serve as or inform indicators for the identified targets.

1. Indicators for SDG 16 Targets

   • For Target 16.1 (Reduce violence): An implied indicator is the proportion of the prison population subjected to physical, psychological, or sexual violence. The article states, “Every former detainee interviewed reported being subjected to serious physical and psychological abuse on a near-daily basis,” suggesting a 100% rate for this group. The documentation of three specific cases of sexual violence also serves as a direct measure.
   • For Target 16.3 (Access to justice): The article provides data for an indicator on the effectiveness of judicial remedy mechanisms. It notes that of the “76 habeas corpus petitions filed before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court… The chamber has not issued a response.” This 0% response rate is a clear indicator of the lack of access to justice. Another implied indicator is the proportion of detainees with access to legal counsel, which for this group was zero.
   • For Target 16.6 (Accountable institutions): An indicator could be the number of official government disclosures regarding international agreements on migrant detention. The article states that “Neither the US nor El Salvador have fully disclosed the terms of the agreement,” indicating a failure in transparency. The refusal of US authorities to provide information on detainees’ whereabouts to their families is another measure of institutional failure.

2. Indicators for SDG 10 Targets

   • For Target 10.7 (Safe migration): An implied indicator is the number of migrants transferred in violation of the principle of non-refoulement. The article argues that all 252 Venezuelans were transferred in violation of this principle, as the US sent them to El Salvador “despite easily foreseeable risks of torture and ill-treatment.”

3. Indicators for SDG 3 Targets

   • For Target 3.4 (Mental health): A qualitative indicator is the prevalence of psychological trauma among former detainees. The article includes multiple testimonies describing lasting trauma, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, such as one detainee who said, “I fell into depression. I wanted to kill myself because I thought I would be better off dead.”
   • For general health (Target 3.8 – Universal health coverage): An implied indicator is the proportion of detainees with pre-existing conditions who receive continued medical care. The article notes that detainees had their treatments discontinued upon arrival at CECOT. Another is the proportion of detainees’ requests for medical attention that are met with adequate care. The report states that requests were often ignored or met with beatings instead of treatment.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: hrw.org