PERU: 18 People Killed During Protests

Download a copy of the 2nd UA 105/22 below

On 9 January, 18 people were killed during protests in the city of Juliaca, in the Puno region, in Peru. The country continues to experience protests and violence in different regions, following the announcement of then-president Castillo to dissolve Congress and his consequent arrest on 7 December. Both the National Police and the Armed Forces have used excessive force against protesters. At least 40 individuals have died since 7 December. Amnesty International urges President Boluarte to put an immediate end to all forms of unlawful force by the security forces.

These deaths add up to an alarming death toll of at least 40 individuals since the start of the political crisis in Peru on 7 December 2022 and in the context of the repression of protests. The government has targeted those who have expressed discontent with the crisis, by deploying the National Police and the Armed Forces during protests across the country and by making use of excessive force against protesters.

International human rights standards on the use of force mandate that it should only be used against protesters when strictly necessary, in a proportional manner and for a legitimate purpose, and it should then be subject to a process of accountability.

Write to the President of Peru urging her to:

• immediately put an end to any excessive use of force against demonstrators
• use available resources to safeguard the life and integrity of all injured persons
• provide support to the families of the deceased
• collaborate with authorities to ensure prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into allegations of human rights violations in the context of the current crisis

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Additional Information

Peru has been immersed in a prolonged political crisis in recent years, which escalated with the announcement made by then President Castillo of the dissolution of the Congress of the Republic on December 7, 2022.

The Constitutional Court and the Congress rejected this decision, and Castillo was arrested that same day. The Vice President, Dina Boluarte, was quickly sworn in as President, and local authorities formally recognized her as the new President.

These events unleashed a major wave of protests in different regions of the country, which were repressed by the Peruvian armed forces and police. In the first days of the protests, dozens of people were injured and at least two people died. In addition, local journalists reported being assaulted and stripped of their equipment by the National Police.

By December 16, two days after the Peruvian State declared a state of emergency in the face of the political crisis, the number of people killed had risen to 17.

During the Christmas holidays, the protests subsided briefly, but with the beginning of the new year, thousands of people have once again taken to the streets in Peru and state repression has become more acute.

On January 9, at least 18 people died and dozens were injured during protests in the city of Juliaca.

From the beginning of the protests to date, official sources have reported the deaths of at least 40 people in the regions of Puno, Ayacucho, Apurimac, Cusco, Junin, La Libertad and Arequipa. It should be noted that most of the victims belong to rural and historically marginalized communities in Peru.

Amnesty International has expressed concern about the excessive use of force against protesters and made calls to ensure access to justice and remedies for victims. On December 12, it issued a first press release condemning the deaths of two people. An urgent action was issued the following day calling for an immediate cease of violence against protesters. On December 16, it issued a second press release calling for accountability for the deaths of at least 17 people. Finally, on January 10, a third press release was issued following the events in Juliaca.

Amnesty International reminds the authorities that a protest does not lose its peaceful character because of sporadic acts or unlawful behavior by individuals. Therefore, the respect, guarantee and protection of the human rights of those who demonstrate peacefully must not be diminished. State security forces should also prioritize the peaceful resolution of the situation and avoid using force in ways that contravene international standards.

***PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: March 7, 2023!

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If you want Updates on this case, send your request to urgentaction@amnesty.ca with “Keep me updated on UA 105/22 Peru” in the subject line.
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