In a move that has stirred significant controversy, Peru's President Dina Boluarte has enacted a new law granting amnesty to soldiers, police, and civilian militia members implicated in atrocities during the nation's protracted armed conflict against Maoist insurgents. The law, passed by Congress in July, came under scrutiny after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights requested a suspension pending an evaluation of its implications for victims.
The legislation is set to benefit hundreds of individuals accused of crimes occurring between 1980 and 2000, promising to release all those aged over 70 already imprisoned for related offenses. This conflict, primarily driven by insurgent groups such as the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, left around 70,000 people dead and resulted in the disappearance of over 20,000 individuals, as recorded by Peru's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Boluarte, who made history as Peru's first female president after her election in 2022, asserted that the government is recognizing the sacrifices of forces fighting against terrorism and protecting democracy. However, her stance has ignited condemnation from human rights organizations. Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, labelled the amnesty as a betrayal of victims and an affront to decades of progress in securing accountability for past atrocities.
Calls for Boluarte to veto the bill came from both United Nations experts and Amnesty International, who argued that it contravenes Peru's obligations to investigate and prosecute severe human rights violations, such as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and sexual violence. UN representatives warned that the amnesty could obstruct more than 600 ongoing trials and reverse 156 convictions.
It is worth noting that the TRC found that state agents, particularly the military, were responsible for a staggering 83% of all documented cases of sexual violence during the conflict. Adding to the complexities of legal accountability in Peru, a statute of limitations for crimes against humanity was adopted last year for actions committed prior to 2002, effectively putting numerous investigations into alleged war crimes on hold.
This amnesty initiative echoes previous legislative actions that have benefitted ex-President Alberto Fujimori, who faced convictions for atrocity-related offenses but was catapulted back into public life on humanitarian grounds until his death in September 2024.
In additional political troubles, former president Martin Vizcarra has been ordered to preventive detention for five months over bribery allegations from his time as governor, marking the fifth former president involved in corruption investigations.
The legislation is set to benefit hundreds of individuals accused of crimes occurring between 1980 and 2000, promising to release all those aged over 70 already imprisoned for related offenses. This conflict, primarily driven by insurgent groups such as the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, left around 70,000 people dead and resulted in the disappearance of over 20,000 individuals, as recorded by Peru's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Boluarte, who made history as Peru's first female president after her election in 2022, asserted that the government is recognizing the sacrifices of forces fighting against terrorism and protecting democracy. However, her stance has ignited condemnation from human rights organizations. Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, labelled the amnesty as a betrayal of victims and an affront to decades of progress in securing accountability for past atrocities.
Calls for Boluarte to veto the bill came from both United Nations experts and Amnesty International, who argued that it contravenes Peru's obligations to investigate and prosecute severe human rights violations, such as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and sexual violence. UN representatives warned that the amnesty could obstruct more than 600 ongoing trials and reverse 156 convictions.
It is worth noting that the TRC found that state agents, particularly the military, were responsible for a staggering 83% of all documented cases of sexual violence during the conflict. Adding to the complexities of legal accountability in Peru, a statute of limitations for crimes against humanity was adopted last year for actions committed prior to 2002, effectively putting numerous investigations into alleged war crimes on hold.
This amnesty initiative echoes previous legislative actions that have benefitted ex-President Alberto Fujimori, who faced convictions for atrocity-related offenses but was catapulted back into public life on humanitarian grounds until his death in September 2024.
In additional political troubles, former president Martin Vizcarra has been ordered to preventive detention for five months over bribery allegations from his time as governor, marking the fifth former president involved in corruption investigations.
