El Salvador is proposing to order telephone companies to block cell phone signals inside prisons where a state of emergency has been declared, in order to prevent gang leaders from ordering murders or extortions while incarcerated.
Authorities seek to block prison cell phones to beat crime crisis
While cell phones and other electronic devices are currently illegal inside prisons, visitors, guards and others still manage to sneak them in for the use of inmates.
El Salvador seeks to block prison cell phones to beat crime crisis
Recommended articles
The move is among a raft of measures the government proposed to Congress on Thursday as the small Central American state struggles to combat record-high murder rates that have made it one of the world's most violent countries.
The government declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in the country's seven most dangerous prisons, where the proposed measures would be introduced first if legislators give their assent in a vote likely to be held on Friday.
Under the state of emergency, prison authorities have been ordered to limit gang leaders' movements inside jail, and prohibit visitors and outside communication for 15 days.
ADVERTISEMENT
President Salvador Sanchez Ceren also announced plans to deploy more troops on the streets to battle a rising wave of gang violence.
In prison inspections, authorities found cell phones with up to $20,000 in call credits, Rodil Hernandez, the director of prisons, told Reuters. He said phone operators had not helped with the problem so far.
A telephone trade group told a news conference on Thursday, however, that phone companies were willing to collaborate with any measures.
Of the 33,000 or so prisoners in the country, some 13,000 are gang members, who often conduct their criminal business unabated from behind bars.
During the first two months of the year there were an average 23.3 murders a day. That was 120 percent up on the same period last year.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
Recommended articles
Kanu, Igboho, Ekpa are paid by foreign countries to cause problems in Nigeria - Seun Kuti
'What we built in 6 years was destroyed in 6 hours' — Landmark counts losses
'I don’t know where to start from' — man laments destruction of Lagos beach business
May Day: President Bola Tinubu’s speech
Bishop Oyedepo issues crucial message to 'Yahoo Yahoo' enterprises
FG confirms new minimum wage will take effect from May 1, 2024
House of Reps assures end to fuel queues soon, says scarcity temporary
Borno retirees demand pension increase, lament ₦4,000 monthly payment
Government plans to reduce daily working time by 1 hour
ADVERTISEMENT
![The Senate leadership dissociated itself from this action [Difference Between]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'300'%20height%3D'172'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "The Senate leadership dissociated itself from this action [Difference Between]")