The president of Peru signs the law of amnesty for the police and soldiers accused of atrocities

The president of Peru signed a new controversial law forgiving soldiers, police and civil militias in trials for atrocities during the armed conflict of the country’s two decades against the Maoist rebels.

Dina Boluarte promulgated the measure which was adopted by the Congress in July, despite an ordinance of the Inter -American Court of Human Rights to suspend him while waiting for an examination of her impact on the victims.

The law will benefit hundreds of members of the armed forces, police and self -defense committees accused of crimes committed between 1980 and 2000.

It will also force the release of those of more than 70 convictions for such offenses.

During the conflict, the brilliant groups and rebel groups of Tupac Amaru led insurrections in which around 70,000 people were killed and more than 20,000 have disappeared, according to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Peru (TRC).

Boluarte, elected in 2022 as the first woman president of the country, said that the Peruvian government paid tribute to the forces which – itself – fought – against terrorism and to defend democracy.

Human rights organizations have condemned the law. Juanita Goebertus, director of the Americas at Human Rights Watch, described her as “betrayal of the Peruvian victims” who “undermines decades of efforts to ensure the responsibility of the atrocities”.

The United Nations and Amnesty International experts had urged Boluarte to oppose her veto to the bill, claiming that she had violated Peru’s duty to investigate and pursue serious abuses, in particular extrajudicial murders, imposed disappearances, torture and sexual violence.

UN experts said the amnesty could stop or overthrow more than 600 pending trials and 156 convictions.

The TRC noted that state agents, notably the armed forces, were responsible for 83% of documented sexual violence.

Last year, Peru adopted a limitation period for the crimes against humanity committed before 2002, actually closed hundreds of investigations on alleged crimes committed during the fighting.

The initiative took advantage of the late president Alberto Fujimori, who was imprisoned for atrocities – including the massacre of civilians by the army – but released from prison in 2023 for humanitarian land. He died in September 2024.