Ecuador - March 2024

An investigation by El Pais revealed that authorities have established a database with the genetic profiles of prisoners, without their informed consent. According to the report, the samples were collected in several prisons, including the Cotopaxi Penitentiary, where officials collected genetic samples of most of the imprisoned population without informing them of their legal right to refuse.  

The country’s National Service for the Attention of Adults and Youth Deprived of their Liberty (SNAI) issued a statement in which it informed the public it was carrying out a census of prison population, taking note of persons’ tattoos and other identifying data, including their genetic profiles, for humanitarian and forensic purposes only, but denied taking samples without consent. It also announced it would suspend the measure until further notice. Guayaquil’s Human Rights Committee has stated it will ask SNAI to audit the process in the regional prison located in that city. 

Sources: El Pais (1), SNAI on Facebook, Teleamazonas, El Pais (2)