The Supreme Court in El Salvador has declared unconstitutional an amnesty law that protected perpetrators of crimes committed during the country's 1980-1992 civil war. The decision, announced Wednesday, could open the way for prosecutions and lawsuits related to the conflict. The court ruled that the 1993 law granting amnesty violated human rights articles in the constitution, notably the right of victims to receive compensation for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
El Salvador's 12-year civil war pitted a military-led government, backed by the United States, against leftwing rebels. It resulted in 75,000 deaths and more than 7,000 people missing, and dealt a $1.6-billion blow to the small Central American nation's economy.