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6,000 gang members arrested in first nine days of a state of emergency in El Salvador

The France24 reported, citing the AFP, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said Monday (Apr 4) that more than 6,000 gang members have been detained in the first nine days of a state of emergency in El Salvador. This comes after imposing the measures to stamp out a soaring homicide wave.
The Central American country declared the emergency measures -- allowing the arrest of gang members without a warrant -- last week after 87 reported killings from March 25 to 27.
And on Monday the president said the 6,000 detained in a little over a week added to the 16,000 gang members already incarcerated in El Salvador's prisons.
Speaking at a police barracks in the capital San Salvador, Bukele addressed public concerns of gangs "taking revenge" on the population due to the massive arrest operations.
The president said, if they commit an act of revenge, "there will not be even one meal in the prisons."

He added: "I swear to God that they will not eat a single grain of rice, and we will see how long they last, and I don't care what international organizations say."
Besides arrests without a warrant, the emergency measures -- which last one month -- also restrict freedom of assembly, while telephone calls and emails can be intercepted without a court order.
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Such broad and swift enactment of powers granted to the military and police has drawn alarm from local and international human rights organizations.
Bukele added that he had ordered the construction of a maximum-security prison with a capacity of 20,000 inmates.
He said: "There are only two ways: jail or death."
The 40-year-old president, elected in 2019, enjoys broad support in El Salvador over his promises to fight organized crime and improve security in the violence-wracked country.
If backed, El Salvador would be first in the world to formally adopt Bitcoin
Last week, the ruling party-controlled parliament reformed the penal code to increase the maximum sentence for gang membership from nine to 45 years in prison.
Source: france24
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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