Peru Passes Amnesty Law Protecting Security Forces Accused of Rights Abuses
- Human Rights Research Center
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
Author: Peter Clarkin
August 20, 2025
HRRC strongly denounces the signing into law of a bill that provides blanket amnesty for members of Peru’s security forces. Those who are under investigation for human rights abuses that occurred during the country’s internal conflict must be held accountable, and this current move by President Boluarte deserves condemnation.
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has attracted widespread condemnation from human rights groups for her decision to support a controversial amnesty bill. Boluarte has signed into law a bill that provides blanket amnesty to all members of the government’s security forces accused of human rights violations during the country’s twenty year internal armed conflict.
From 1980 to 2000 Peru’s internal conflict resulted in the death and disappearance of close to 70,000 people. The government’s violent battle with Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) led to accusations of human rights abuses levelled at both sides, with the current bill protecting all former soldiers and police officers from the threat of prosecution and imprisonment.
Families of the victims have voiced their anger towards the Peruvian government, and the United Nations’ (UN’s) chief human rights official, Volker Türk stated that he believed the bill was “…an affront to the thousands of victims who deserve truth, justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence…”
President Boluarte’s signing of the bill at Lima’s government palace was welcomed by applause from the country’s top military officials, and over the past year Boluarte’s commitment to the bill has never wavered. In July of this year the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (I/A Court H.R.) ordered Peru to refrain from finalising the bill, but Boluarte refused to delay the process, and vowed that her government would create the law regardless of the court’s decision.
This current initiative signifies another step towards the loss of protection in relation to human rights for Peruvians, and the government’s ongoing stand against the I/A Court H.R. The Boluarte administration controversially went against the court in December 2023 when they approved the release of former President Alberto Fujimori, despite calls by the court not to discharge him.
The confirmation of this amnesty bill signifies another step by Peru to disregard international law, of which they are bound, and subsequently show a lack of respect to the victims of the internal armed conflict. Any decision to provide amnesty to the perpetrators of crimes committed in the past is one that should be condemned by all.
Glossary
Accountable – responsible for actions or decisions
Affront – an action or remark causing outrage or offense
Blanket amnesty – a general pardon protecting a large group from legal consequences
Bound – legally or morally required
Chief – the highest-ranking person in a group or organization
Condemnation – expression of strong disapproval
Confirmation – official approval or validation of an action or fact
Denounces – publicly declares something wrong or evil
Imprisonment – the state of being confined in prison
Initiative – a new plan or action intended to achieve a particular goal
Internal – existing or occurring within a country or organisation
Inter-American Court of Human Rights – regional court enforcing human rights in the Americas
Non-recurrence – guarantee that harmful acts will not happen again
Perpetrators – people who carry out harmful or criminal acts
Prosecution – the act of officially charging someone with a crime
Reparations – compensation or amends for wrongdoing or harm
Refrain – to stop oneself from doing something
Shining Path – Maoist insurgent group in Peru involved in the 1980–2000 internal conflict
Vowed – committed to do something
Voiced – expressed opinions, feelings, or concerns aloud or publicly
Wavered – showed uncertainty or hesitation
Welcomed – received or accepted with approval or pleasure
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