El Salvador: Thousands Of Gang Members Transferred To New "Mega Prison"
Authorities in El Salvador have moved thousands of gang members to a new "mega jail" as the prison population has skyrocketed after government crackdowns on organised crime and gang violence.
President Nayib Bukele said on Twitter: "This will be their new home, where they won't be able to do any more harm to the population."
The new prison, which is now considered to be the largest in the Americas and built to house 40,000 inmates, received the first batch of around 2,000 gang members.
Bukele posted a video that showed prisoners wearing just white shorts, with shaven heads, running through the new prison into cells.
Almost all of the prisoners could be seen covered in gang-affiliated tattoos.
A state exception last year, which has since been extended multiple times, suspends some constitutional rights after a dramatic increase in gang-related murders.
Since then, more than 64,000 suspects have been arrested.
Under the ruling, authorities can access private communications and suspects can be arrested without a warrant, they also have no right to a lawyer.
Human rights organisations claim that innocent people are being caught up in the legislation and say dozens have died while in police custody.
Bukele's strict stance on gang crime remains popular with Salvadorans and the country's security minister told Reuters it will continue until all criminals are detained.
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