Bukele signs reforms allowing life prison sentences for people as young as 12

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele signed sweeping reforms on 16 April 2026, in the capital city of San Salvador, allowing for life prison sentences to be imposed on individuals as young as 12 who are convicted of serious crimes, including homicide, femicide, rape, and gang membership, in a move set to significantly toughen the country's penal code.

The reforms mark a significant shift in the country's approach to juvenile justice, with the new laws enabling judges to hand down life sentences to children as young as 12 who are found guilty of participating in or facilitating serious crimes. This move is likely to have far-reaching implications for the country's justice system, with critics arguing that it could lead to the incarceration of large numbers of young people, potentially for the rest of their lives. The new laws will apply to a range of crimes, including homicide, femicide, and rape, as well as gang membership, which has been a major driver of violence in the country in recent years.

The introduction of these reforms is the latest in a series of measures aimed at tackling the high levels of violent crime that have plagued El Salvador in recent years. The country has struggled to contain the activities of powerful gangs, which have been responsible for a significant proportion of the violence, and the government has come under pressure to take a tougher stance on law and order. The move to allow life sentences for young offenders is likely to be seen as a key part of this effort, although it is likely to be controversial, with many arguing that it will do little to address the root causes of the violence and may even exacerbate the problem.

The reaction to the reforms has been mixed, with some welcoming the tougher stance on crime, while others have expressed concerns about the potential impact on young people and the justice system as a whole. Human rights groups have been quick to criticise the move, arguing that it will lead to the incarceration of large numbers of young people and potentially undermine efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society. The government, meanwhile, has defended the reforms, arguing that they are necessary to tackle the high levels of violent crime and protect the public. As the reforms come into effect, it remains to be seen how they will be implemented and what impact they will have on the country's justice system and its efforts to tackle violent crime.