Kilmar Abrego claims to have been the victim of 'severe beatings' and 'psychological torture' during his stay at the CECOT

Kilmar Abrego, a Salvadoran citizen mistakenly deported by the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, alleged Wednesday that he was subjected to "severe beatings" and "psychological torture" by officials at El Salvador’s maximum-security prison, CECOT, where he was sent earlier this year. The allegations were revealed in a filing submitted by his legal team in federal court in Maryland, where they are seeking to amend the lawsuit against the current Republican administration over his deportation.

While Abrego’s legal team had previously described his more than three-week detention at CECOT as a form of "torture," the latest court filing introduces new allegations of "severe treatment" suffered by the Salvadoran citizen. According to Abrego, this included "severe beatings, extreme sleep deprivation, inadequate nutrition, and psychological torture." He also claimed to have lost 14 kilos during his time at the notorious CECOT facility, widely regarded as one of the most feared prisons in the world.

More details about his time in CECOT

In the court filing, Abrego alleged that upon his arrival at CECOT, prison staff forced him to undress, change into a uniform, and then kicked him to make him move faster. He claimed that officials subsequently shaved his head before escorting him to his cell while beating him severely with truncheons.

According to the document, the beatings left him with “visible bruises and bumps all over his body.”

Abrego also described the conditions of his detention, stating that the cell where he was held had no windows, was overcrowded with other prisoners, contained only metal bunks, and remained lit 24 hours a day. In one instance, he and several cellmates were allegedly forced to kneel for nearly ten hours, and were brutally beaten each time they collapsed. The complaint further states that early in his detention, prison staff acknowledged that his tattoos were not linked to any gang affiliation. Abrego also claimed that U.S. immigration agents misled him by telling him he would be allowed to appear before a judge prior to his deportation.

Abrego, who is currently detained in Tennessee awaiting trial, has consistently denied any affiliation with the Salvadoran gang MS-13. In his lawsuit, he asked federal Judge Paula Xinis to declare the actions taken against him by the Trump administration unconstitutional and to order his return to Maryland.

He also requested the formal reinstatement of a 2019 order that allowed him to remain free, provided he complied with regular check-ins with immigration authorities.