reproductive health services and protection against gender-based violence. Since the start of the state of emergency, at least 190 deaths caused by torture and lack of medical care had occurred in state custody.2 Several entities, such as the Attorney General’s Office and the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office, did not effectively and diligently investigate these cases. The Attorney General’s Office ordered the majority of investigations to be archived. The InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights requested access to perform an independent assessment of prison conditions, but the authorities refused. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ASSOCIATION AND ASSEMBLY El Salvador saw an increase in protests in 2023, as the situation in the country deteriorated under the extended state of emergency. Protesters denounced human rights violations under the state of emergency; demanded respect for economic, social, and cultural rights; and defended land and territory. The authorities’ obstructive response to these legitimate expressions of social discontent violated people’s right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The authorities’ actions included stigmatization and questioning the legitimacy of protesters by high-ranking state officials through social media and public statements; intimidation and threats towards, and excessive surveillance of, organizers and protesters; restrictions on movement by blockading roads and access points to specific areas to prevent participation in these activities; and the arbitrary detention and criminalization of protesters. The government undermined the autonomy and effectiveness of labour unions. The Movement of Dismissed Workers recorded the disbandment of 10 unions in 2023 due to the elimination of an equivalent number of government departments. Additionally, the government imposed unwarranted restrictions on union registration processes and the accreditation of union boards. Authorities also disregarded The State of the World’s Human Rights trade union immunity, failed to comply with collective bargaining agreements, and engaged in actions that jeopardized the job security of public sector employees. According to local organizations, in 2023 at least 16 trade unionists were arrested and charged with offences such as public disorder and resisting arrest during peaceful protests. Under the framework of the state of emergency, at least three trade unionists were arbitrarily arrested, having been falsely accused of the crime of “illegal associations”. According to a 2022 investigation, 35 journalists and activists in El Salvador were subjected to Pegasus software-enabled espionage between 2020 and 2021. Despite appeals by the Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) to the General Attorney’s Office to investigate these incidents and the reports of hacking of WhatsApp accounts, no findings had been released 21 months later, according to APES. The absence of a specialized team and the lack of a prompt, effective, impartial, and independent investigation have fostered widespread impunity and eroded independent journalism’s trust in the authorities. APES submitted a report about the impact of the state of emergency on press freedom. According to their records, between March 2022 and July 2023, there were 222 violations of freedom of expression and 385 cases of harassment against journalists and media outlets, most commonly digital attacks and stigmatizing statements. APES reported six instances of journalists being compelled to flee the country in the first half of 2023 due to escalating threats, intimidation, assaults, and the looming threat of criminalization. In April, El Faro, a digital media outlet, moved its administrative operations to Costa Rica because of the hostile climate towards journalism in El Salvador. HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS The authorities continued to stigmatize and harass human rights defenders through social media. This involved posting threatening content, such as statements by 161