Peru’s president battles court ruling over police amnesty.
Peru President Rejects Amnesty Bill for Police, Military, and Self‑Defense Forces
In a decisive move, President Dina Boluarte dismissed an international court order to suspend a law that would grant amnesty to security personnel who participated in state operations against leftist guerrilla groups from 1980 to 2000.
Amnesty Law Controversy
- The bill, awaiting President Boluarte’s signature, would benefit uniformed officials accused of crimes during the conflict between state forces and the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru rebel groups.
- According to UN experts, the legislation could affect 156 finalized cases and 600 ongoing trials.
- Critics warn the law would hinder victims’ access to justice and reparations, with 20,000 people still listed as “disappeared.”
- Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has identified more than 4,000 clandestine graves linked to two decades of political violence.
International Court Demands Suspension
- The Inter‑American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) issued a statement last week demanding Peru to “immediately suspend approval” of the amnesty law.
- Failing to comply, the IACHR called on “competent authorities” to refrain from applying the law while the court examines its legality.
- President Boluarte denied the court’s intervention, stating “we will not allow the Inter‑American Court’s suspension of a bill intended to bring justice to armed forces, police, and self‑defense committees who risked their lives against terrorism.”
UN and NGOs Call for Veto
- UN experts urged President Boluarte’s government to veto the law, arguing that Peru has a duty to investigate, prosecute, and punish gross human rights violations committed during the conflict.
- Amnesty International echoed the call, urging the legislature to reject the bill in favor of victims.
- Twenty states in the Americas acknowledge the jurisdiction of the IACHR to interpret the American Convention on Human Rights—a treaty that obligates parties to uphold civil liberties and human rights.
