Amnesty International rejects the enactment of the law granting amnesty to perpetrators of crimes under international law and allowing for the release of persons over the age of 70 who have received a final sentence or whose sentence is being executed, under the concept of “humanitarian amnesty”.

This law violates the Peruvian state’s obligations under international law and sets a serious precedent. Its implementation will affect at least 156 cases where a final sentence has been issued, allowing those responsible for crimes against humanity and serious human rights violations to regain their freedom. 

The cancellation of cases currently under investigation or in court proceedings sends out a message of indifference and impunity towards the pain and rights of the victims and their families, who have spent decades seeking justice, truth and reparation. This includes cases such as Putis in Ayacucho in 1984, where 123 people were killed, among them children and adolescents.

The organization wishes to reiterate that amnesties are inadmissible under international law and international human rights standards in cases of serious human rights violations or crimes under international law, such as those committed in Peru between 1980 and 2000. Such crimes include enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, torture and sexual violence. 

Amnesty International warns of increasing authoritarian practices and impunity in Peru as a result of legislation that undermines civic space and access to justice, and initiatives that are in breach of international commitments. The organization therefore reminds the Peruvian authorities of their duty to guarantee the right to justice, truth and reparation for the victims and all of society, something that will be possible only by strengthening investigations and punishing those who commit serious human rights violations. 

To bring this painful chapter of the country’s history to a close, the authorities must ensure non-repetition. This requires resolutely addressing impunity and finding those responsible for crimes as heinous as those committed in Peru by all the parties involved in the armed conflict. 

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact [email protected]