Several NGOs start a registry of disappeared persons in El Salvador as anti-gang crackdown continues

Associated Press

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — Several nongovernmental organizations have launched a registry of disappeared persons in El Salvador, hoping it will help families that don’t know the whereabouts of their loved ones. President Nayib Bukele’s government, under a state of emergency originally declared in 2022 and still in effect, has rounded up 81,110 suspected gang members in sweeps that rights groups say are often arbitrary, based on a person’s appearance or where they live. The eight NGOs said on Wednesday that family members of the disappeared persons can fill out a registry online with their personal details, creating a unique record that will help in the search for the missing family members.