Press Release
Published on May 18, 2026
Washington, D.C. — Human Rights First strongly condemns the arbitrary detention without trial of Ruth López Alfaro by the Government of El Salvador one year after her unjust arrest. The Salvadoran government has kept her case under judicial seal (which means the public, media, and third parties cannot access case files, evidence, or details about the case) and limited her access to her family members and lawyers.
Ruth was head of the Anti-Corruption and Justice unit of Cristosal, a leading nongovernmental organization promoting democracy and human rights in Central America. In that role, she led several investigations that documented significant acts of alleged corruption or malfeasance by the government of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, including one investigation that exposed the misuse of public funds to conduct surveillance of journalists and human rights defenders and another that revealed the improper granting of government contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Human Rights First President and CEO Uzra Zeya said the following about Ruth’s case:
“The arbitrary arrest and continued detention of Ruth López Alfaro without trial by the Government of El Salvador is part and parcel of a series of systematic attacks on human rights and the rule of law by the administration of President Nayib Bukele. As Head of the Anti-Corruption and Justice Unit of Cristosal, Ruth played an invaluable role in promoting democracy and human rights in El Salvador by uncovering alleged acts of corruption and related abuses by the Bukele administration. Human Rights First joins hundreds of civil society and legal organizations in calling for her immediate release.”
In 2025, Human Rights First granted to Cristosal its William D. Zabel Human Rights Award in recognition of the organization’s valiant work defending human rights across Central America.
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To speak with Zeya please contact press@humanrightsfirst.org.
