Trinidad and Tobago (a twin-island Caribbean nation of roughly 1.4 million people) has ended its state of emergency after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told parliament the government would not seek a further extension, instead pursuing a permanent legal framework to combat gang violence and illegal weapons. The emergency powers, in place across two successive declarations in 2024 and 2025, allowed authorities to detain people without charge — a practice that drew sharp criticism from lawyers who reported clients being transported blindfolded and shackled, with no meaningful access to attorney-client privilege. More than 5,800 people were arrested since a March extension, with some 2,250 still uncharged; lawyers say they expect lawsuits against the government and are calling on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to investigate possible abuses.