Ruth López

Ruth López is a lawyer and woman human rights defender from El Salvador. She graduated with honours from the University of Havana and, for over 17 years, has dedicated her life to defending access to justice, truth, transparency, and the dignity of human rights victims. She is one of the most renowned anti-corruption lawyers in Central America.

In her capacity as a defender of the rule of law and transparency, Ruth López has led nearly 15 investigations into corruption in El Salvador, filed legal challenges against anti-democratic reforms, and taken action against the 2017 General Law on Metallic Mining, which officially overturns El Salvador’s historic ban on metals mining.

She supported victims of human rights violations committed in the context of the State of Emergency since 2022, such as Venezuelans tortured at the CECOT (Terrorism Detention Centre). She also brought cases before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). She documented landmark cases such as the use of Pegasus spyware against journalists and succeeded in declaring the authoritarian measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic unconstitutional.

On 18 May 2025, Ruth López was arbitrarily detained in what various organisations have documented as political persecution, directly linked to her work in defence of human rights and her fight against corruption. Amnesty International recognised her as a Prisoner of Conscience, determining that her imprisonment is arbitrary and stems from her work as a defender. Since the day of her arrest, she has been held at the Izalco Penitentiary, a situation that led the IACHR to issue precautionary measures in her favour, although to date these measures have not been complied with.

Since 2024, she has been recognised with at least six awards and honours for her fundamental work in the defence of human rights in El Salvador.