UN Experts: Peru Amnesty Law Violates Human Rights
GENEVA – UN human rights experts* are appalled by the promulgation of an amnesty law for security forces for crimes committed in 1980-2000 on 13 August 2025 in Peru.
“This legislation breaches international standards by granting amnesty to members of the Armed Forces, the Peruvian National Police and Self-Defense Committees that are denounced, under investigation or prosecution for crimes committed between 1980 and 2000 and whose conviction verdicts are not final, as well as to individuals over 70 years of age who have already been convicted of such crimes.”
“International standards bar the application of amnesties or pardons to crimes against humanity and other gross human rights violations, including enforced disappearances. Such measures indeed create an unacceptable form of impunity and undermine decades of progress toward justice, truth, and reparations for victims,” the experts warned.
Law N° 32419 entered into force on 14 August 2025, violating international law, including the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which the country ratified on 26 September 2012, the Updated Set of principles for the protection and promotion of human rights through action to combat impunity, and Peru’s obligations under the American Convention on Human Rights, ratified on 27 July 1977.
This came a year after the approval of Law No. 32107 of 9 August 2024, which introduced a statute of limitations for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed prior to 1 July 2002.
The experts reiterated that the non-applicability of statutory limitations to crimes against humanity is a peremptory norm of international law from which no derogation is permitted.
“The State must urgently reverse these setbacks in Peru’s pursuit of justice and reconciliation, and fully comply with its international obligation to investigate, prosecute and punish gross human rights violations and crimes under international law committed during the internal armed conflict, including enforced disappearances,” the experts said.
Amnesties, statutes of limitations and analogous legal concepts shall not restrict the right of access to justice of the victims of these crimes.
The experts also called on Peru to ensure that the widespread or systematic practice of enforced disappearance is fully recognised – in law and in practice – as a crime against humanity under international law. “Peru must guarantee that its legislation and policies reflect the continuing nature of enforced disappearances, and that the search for victims and investigations continue until the truth about their fate and whereabouts is fully established,” they added.
The experts recalled that their position is consistent with earlier concerns raised by the Committee on Enforced Disappearances in its June 2024 warning and its 2025 concluding observations, and by the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, together with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions in their statement dated 14 June 2024.
The experts are in contact with the Government of Peru in this regard and wish to reiterate its willingness to assist by providing technical assistance and cooperation in clarifying cases of enforced disappearance and preventing their occurrence.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/08/perus-amnesty-law-breaches-international-human-rights-obligations-un-experts