Ecuador Soldiers Sentenced to 34 Years for Teens' Murder

A court in Ecuador has sentenced four soldiers to 34 years in prison for the forced disappearance and murder of three teenagers. The victims—two 15-year-olds and one 16-year-old—were detained by an army patrol in the city of Esmeraldas in February 2021. Prosecutors stated the soldiers accused the boys of being members of a criminal gang. The teenagers' bodies were discovered days later. They showed signs of mutilation and had been burned. The court found the soldiers guilty of murder and aggravated kidnapping. The lengthy sentence is a rare instance of military personnel being held accountable for human rights abuses in the country.