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A30 world news
Diahuebs 7 aPRiL 2022

El Salvador threatens prison for media sharing gang messages

The law says that “radio, tele- and who is with the gangs.”
vision, written or digital me-
dia” would face 10 to 15 years Marcela Pineda, a lawmaker
in prison for “the reproduc- from Bukele’s New Ideas
tion or transmission to the Party, said Tuesday that,
general population of mes- “With those reforms we are
sages or statements originat- telling the gangsters that
ing or presumably originating they can’t send audios or text
from said criminal groups, chains to generate fear in the
that could generate anxiety population.”
and panic in the population.”
Bukele had hit that theme
The measure also establishes earlier in the day, saying there
prison sentences of 10 to 15 were rumors gangs might
years for painting the sort of retaliate for the crackdown
graffiti commonly used to by attacking civilians and he
mark gang territory in neigh- threatened to withhold food
borhoods across El Salvador. from imprisoned gang mem-
bers if they did.
Bukele has lashed out at the
media, as well as nongovern- The press association also
mental organizations and in- noted there have been reports
ternational bodies that have suggesting that Bukele’s ad-
been critical of some of the ministration, like other ad-
measures taken against the ministrations before it, had
gangs. He accuses them of made deals with the gangs
siding with the criminals. to lower the murder rate and
provide political support in
Under the state of emer- exchange for other benefits.
gency, the government has The U.S. Treasury Depart-
limited freedom of associa- ment echoed those allega-
(AP) — El Salvador’s con- ib Bukele to seek and win a vador Journalists Association tion, suspended the right to tions in December, saying
gress, pushing further in state of emergency. Harsh said in a statement Wednes- be informed of one’s rights at that Bukele’s government
the government’s dramat- measures against imprisoned day. “Prohibiting journalism the time of arrest and denied had bought the gangs’ sup-
ic crackdown on gangs, gang members and increased from reporting the reality in access to lawyers. A suspect port with financial benefits
has authorized prison prison sentences followed, which thousands of people can now be held for 15 days and privileges for imprisoned
sentences of 10 to 15 years as well as the arrests of some inhabiting these gang-con- without charges rather than leaders. Bukele has vehe-
for news media that re- 6,000 suspected gang mem- trolled communities live ... 72 hours. Imprisoned gang mently denied the accusa-
produce or disseminate bers. will create an illusion that is members had their meals re- tions.
messages from the gangs, not faithful to the truth.” duced to twice a day, are not
alarming press freedom But the newest law expands allowed out of their cells and “I don’t care what the inter-
groups. Bukele’s offensive to the The reforms passed with af- had their mattresses taken. national organizations say.
press, another of his frequent firmative votes from 63 of Let them come here and pro-
The vote late Tuesday was the targets. the 84 lawmakers and went Bukele said via Twitter Tues- tect our people,” the presi-
latest in a flurry of legislative into effect when published day that he had sent proposals dent said. “They can take
action against the gangs after “We consider these reforms Tuesday night in the official to the Legislative Assembly, their gang members if they
62 suspected gang killings on to be a clear attempt at cen- gazette. adding, “We will see, once want; we’ll give them all of
March 26 led President Nay- sorship of media,” the El Sal- again, who is with the people them.”

Burkina Faso tribunal sentences ex-leader Compaore to life

(AP) — A Burkina Faso military tribunal has There were gasps in the packed courtroom when which means “land of honest men” in the local
sentenced ex-President Blaise Compaore the verdict of life imprisonment for Compaore Moore and Dioula languages.
to life imprisonment for complicity in the was announced, with Sankara’s supporters shak-
murder of his predecessor Thomas Sankara ing hands, pumping fists in the air and chanting. Sankara’s rule was marked by a socialist agenda
in 1987 and for undermining state security. of nationalizations and his government outlawed
Seated near the front, Sankara’s widow Mariam female genital mutilation, polygamy and forced
Compaore was tried in absentia as he has been Sankara told The Associated Press that justice had marriages. He remains highly regarded among
in exile in Ivory Coast since he was toppled from been served. left-wing Africanists for his defiance of Western
power by a popular uprising in 2014. powers.
“The judges have done their jobs and I am satis-
Compaore’s right-hand man Gilbert Diendere fied. Of course, I wished the main suspects would Sankara came to power in 1983 at the age of 33
and former spy chief Tousma Yacinthe Kafando be here before the judges,” she said. “It is not after he and Compaore led a leftist coup that
were also given life sentences. Diendere is already good that people kill other people and stop the overthrew a moderate military faction. But in
serving a prison sentence for an attempted coup process of development of a country without be- 1987 Compaore turned on his former friend in a
in 2015 and Kafando is at large. ing punished.” coup in which he seized power and then ruled the
country with an iron fist for 27 years before being
Fourteen people were charged for Sankara’s kill- The long-awaited trial, nearly 35 years after San- ousted in an uprising.
ing in the trial which began in October. Eight oth- kara and 12 other people were killed, was hailed
er people were found guilty of a range of charges by many rights activists as a major step for justice While the verdict will help address the scars left
including giving false testimonies and complicity in Burkina Faso. by Sankara’s death, his assassination remains a
in undermining state security. Three were found highly sensitive topic in the country. Of the three
not guilty including the doctor accused of forg- Sankara, a charismatic Marxist leader with a repu- people sentenced to life in prison only Diendere
ing Sankara’s death certificate to say he died of tation as ‘Africa’s Che Guevara,’ has had a lasting is likely to serve any time, said Alexandre Ray-
natural causes. impact on the country, changing its name from makers senior Africa analyst at Verisk Maplecroft,
the French colonial Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, a risk consultancy.