Peru grants amnesty to security forces accused of abuse during fight against rebel groups

By Mauricio Torres, CNN

(CNN) — Peruvian President Dina Boluarte signed into law Wednesday a bill granting amnesty to police officers, military personnel and members of civilian self-defense committees who took part in counterterrorism activities during the country’s bloody 20-year fight against leftist guerilla groups.

The amnesty will cover members of the security forces who stand accused of abuses during that period, but not apply to those who have already been convicted or are accused of terrorism or public corruption charges.

Between 1980 and 2000, Peru’s security forces were engaged in fighting with rebel groups including the Shining Path and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement that killed an estimated 69,000 people, according to the Peruvian truth commission.

In addition to those killed, many people were disappeared.

The amnesty has been opposed by some human rights groups, who argue it undermines efforts to bring accountability for atrocities committed during that time. Some legislators opposed the law’s passage in Congress.

The amnesty will also apply to those over the age of 70 who are already in prison – unless they have been convicted on terrorism or public corruption charges.

At present, more than 1,000 people are being prosecuted or investigated for their participation in the fight against terrorism, according to the official newspaper El Peruano.

During the signing ceremony, Boluarte said the new law would benefit those who defended the country from terrorist groups.

“Let this amnesty be a message of peace, not division. It’s time to turn the page and close that nefarious and bloody chapter that terrorism represented,” the president said.

Justice Minister Enrique Alcántara defended the new law and rejected the idea that it promotes impunity.

“This law seeks justice and is based on the principles enshrined in our Peruvian Constitution and the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights itself: Everyone has the right to have their legal situation resolved within a reasonable time,” he said.

But Human Rights Watch said the new law was a “betrayal” of the victims of abuses.

“(The law) undermines decades of efforts to ensure accountability for atrocities and weakens the country’s rule of law even further,” said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.

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CNN’s Michael Rios contributed to this story