Peru's New Amnesty Law Sparks Outcry Over Human Rights Violations

The Peruvian government's recent law pardoning members of the military and police for crimes during the armed conflict has ignited a wave of criticism from human rights advocates. Despite international warnings, President Dina Boluarte stands by the decision, further complicating the nation's struggle for justice for victims of the brutal conflict.

Peru's President, Dina Boluarte, has ignited a firestorm of criticism with her signing of a new law that grants amnesty to soldiers, police, and civilian militias accused of committing atrocities during the country’s lengthy internal conflict with Maoist groups. The controversial legislation comes despite an order from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights recommending a suspension while assessing its impact on victims.

The law, passed by Congress in July, provides clemency to hundreds involved in operations that took place from 1980 to 2000, during which the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru insurgencies led to the deaths of approximately 70,000 people and more than 20,000 disappearances, according to the nation’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

In her defense, Boluarte, who became Peru’s first female president in 2022, contended that the legislation pays homage to those who battled against terrorism and safeguarded democracy. However, numerous human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have sharply criticized the move. Juanita Goebertus, the Americas director, condemned it as “a betrayal of Peruvian victims” and warned that it jeopardizes decades of efforts to achieve accountability for egregious human rights violations.

Concerns regarding the law extend to its potential impact on pending legal proceedings, with UN experts stating that it could reverse over 600 active trials and 156 established convictions. The TRC has highlighted that state agents, especially the military, were responsible for the majority of recorded sexual violence incidents during the conflict.

Last year, Peru’s legal framework evolved to enforce a statute of limitations on crimes against humanity committed prior to 2002, effectively curtailing numerous ongoing investigations related to wartime abuses. This significant shift in policy has also implicated former president Alberto Fujimori, who was incarcerated for his involvement in atrocities but was released in 2023 on humanitarian grounds, passing away in September 2024.