In a move that has ignited nationwide controversy, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has signed a law granting amnesty to hundreds of soldiers, police officers, and civilians involved in a brutal two-decade conflict against Maoist insurgents. This decision comes despite a suspension order from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which demanded a review of the law's implications for victims.
Peru's Controversial Amnesty Law Sparks Outcry Over Atrocities
Peru's Controversial Amnesty Law Sparks Outcry Over Atrocities
President Dina Boluarte's new law granting amnesty to military and police accused of grave human rights violations divides Peru.
The law, which was passed by Congress in July, allows for the pardoning of individuals who faced trials for actions taken during the violent period from 1980 to 2000, a conflict that resulted in approximately 70,000 deaths and the disappearance of over 20,000 people, according to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). It mandates the release of prisoners over the age of 70 sentenced for their involvement in related crimes.
President Boluarte, who made history as Peru's first female president after her election in 2022, has framed the law as an act of tribute to those she claims defended democracy against terrorism. However, this perspective has drawn vehement criticism from human rights organizations. Juanita Goebertus, the Americas director at Human Rights Watch, denounced it as “a betrayal of Peruvian victims,” leading to concerns that the law could undermine years of efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for such atrocities.
International bodies, including United Nations experts and Amnesty International, had previously advised against the legislation, highlighting its potential to impede investigations into serious human rights abuses such as extrajudicial killings and torture. The TRC found that state agents were responsible for a majority of documented cases of sexual violence during the conflict.
Last year, Peru also enacted a statute of limitations for crimes against humanity committed before 2002, effectively quashing numerous ongoing investigations into wartime offenses. This initiative notably benefited former President Alberto Fujimori, who was imprisoned for crimes, but released in 2023 for humanitarian reasons.
In other developments, former Peruvian president Martin Vizcarra has recently been placed in preventative detention on corruption charges, marking him as the fifth former leader to face incarceration relating to such allegations in the country.
President Boluarte, who made history as Peru's first female president after her election in 2022, has framed the law as an act of tribute to those she claims defended democracy against terrorism. However, this perspective has drawn vehement criticism from human rights organizations. Juanita Goebertus, the Americas director at Human Rights Watch, denounced it as “a betrayal of Peruvian victims,” leading to concerns that the law could undermine years of efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for such atrocities.
International bodies, including United Nations experts and Amnesty International, had previously advised against the legislation, highlighting its potential to impede investigations into serious human rights abuses such as extrajudicial killings and torture. The TRC found that state agents were responsible for a majority of documented cases of sexual violence during the conflict.
Last year, Peru also enacted a statute of limitations for crimes against humanity committed before 2002, effectively quashing numerous ongoing investigations into wartime offenses. This initiative notably benefited former President Alberto Fujimori, who was imprisoned for crimes, but released in 2023 for humanitarian reasons.
In other developments, former Peruvian president Martin Vizcarra has recently been placed in preventative detention on corruption charges, marking him as the fifth former leader to face incarceration relating to such allegations in the country.
