Trinidad and Tobago Extends State of Emergency for Three Months

Trinidad and Tobago Extends State of Emergency for Three Months

The Caribbean nation’s House of Representatives has voted to extend a state of emergency, which was initially enacted in December 2024 following an outbreak of gang violence. The three-month extension passed with a margin of 26-12.

Under the current state of emergency, security forces have been granted expansive powers and key civil liberties have been restricted. The government can stretch the initial 15-day period if necessary.

The country has recorded more than 60 killings this year, and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar recently stated that 373 people have been detained under the state of emergency. This trend is not unique to Trinidad and Tobago, as several Latin American countries have issued similar emergency declarations to address crime.

El Salvador and Honduras have also prolonged their states of emergency, despite mixed success in combating crime. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on the Honduran government to end its state of emergency, citing that it had been extended approximately 17 times.

Human rights experts have expressed concerns about the potential for severe rights abuses during emergency declarations. A group of international jurists presented findings at a recent event, suggesting that the Salvadoran government may have committed crimes against humanity during its state of exception.

The Trinidad and Tobago state of emergency is set to expire on June 27, marking the fourth anniversary of its initial declaration in December 2024.

Source: Al Jazeera