The law on amnesty for military and police in Peru has been adopted

• The law provides amnesty for military and police for crimes committed during the conflict
• Critics consider the law a violation of human rights
• The law may annul hundreds of cases and verdicts

President of Peru Dina Boluarte signed the law that provides amnesty for military, police, and civilian individuals accused of crimes during the armed conflict with the communist group "Shining Path," which lasted from 1980 to 2000. This law, passed by Congress in July, has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, which consider it a violation of human rights.

Along with the new law, military and police cannot be prosecuted for accusations of human rights violations that occurred during the conflict, in which nearly 70,000 people were killed. The president noted that the government honors those who fought against terrorism.

Human rights defenders, including Human Rights Watch, expressed concern that this law provides a blanket immunity for serious crimes. They also stressed that this puts at risk 600 open cases and 156 already passed verdicts.

According to the data from the Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, state forces were responsible for 83% of the documented cases of sexual violence during the conflict. Earlier, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights recognized the amnesty in Peru as ineffective due to violations of international human rights norms.

This law allows for the release of individuals over 70 years old who are convicted of similar crimes. At the same time, Boluarte noted that the government remembers the victims of the conflict, considering that military and police deserve support after years of judicial persecution.

Tags: Politics