Nov. 12 (UPI) -- Dozens of Venezuelans incarcerated in El Salvador's notorious CECOT -- terrorism confinement mega prison -- after being deported from the United States were tortured and subjected to other serious human rights abuses, according to a report out Wednesday.
Titled "You Have Arrived in Hell," the 81 page report by Human Rights Watch and regional human rights organization Cristosal details the treatment of 40 Venezuelans during four months of incommunicado detention in the maximum security facility this year.
The men were among 252 Venezuelans flown to El Salavador in March and April by U.S. authorities, most of them on the basis of allegations by the U.S. and El Salvadorean governments that they were "terrorists" in the Tren de Aragua organized crime gang, designated a foreign terrorist group by Washington.
Detainees told HRW of constant beatings from the moment they were taken off the plane, being held in inhumane conditions, insufficient food, poor hygiene and sanitation, limited access to health care and medicine and zero recreation or education provision.
Three said they suffered sexual violence and several reported being severely beaten, apparently as punishment for speaking with the International Committee of the Red Cross when the charity visited CECOT in May.
