The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has openly criticized a recent law passed by the Peruvian government, which grants amnesty to individuals accused of committing human rights violations during the country's armed conflict from 1980 to 2000. The law, which was signed by President Dina Boluarte on August 13, has sparked international outrage for potentially allowing serious war criminals to evade justice.

Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner, expressed deep disappointment over the enactment of this legislation, emphasizing its detrimental impact on the quest for justice and reconciliation in Peru. "I am dismayed by the promulgation of this amnesty law. This is an affront to the thousands of victims who deserve truth, justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence, not impunity," stated Turk.

The controversial bill specifically provides amnesty to members of the Armed Forces, National Police, and self-defense militias aged over 80 who have been prosecuted or convicted for actions taken during the internal strife. The Peruvian Congress had approved this bill in June amid significant criticism from various human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, which condemned the move as a denial of the victims' right to justice and truth.

Critics argue that the law contradicts Peru's obligations under international human rights treaties, including the Geneva Conventions and the Convention on the non-applicability of statutory limitations to war crimes and crimes against humanity. These international standards mandate the investigation and prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity, emphasizing that such offenses should not be subject to statutes of limitations.

The UN had previously warned that the amnesty law would violate international legal standards and allow perpetrators of atrocity crimes to dodge accountability. This legislation is seen by many as a significant step back in Peru's efforts to deal with its violent past, during which the government battled guerrilla groups such as Shining Path and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, leading to widespread atrocities, thousands of deaths, forced disappearances, and a crisis of internal displacement.

The committee behind the drafting of the bill defended its necessity, arguing it aimed to alleviate the burden on elderly military and police personnel who have faced prolonged investigations without final convictions. However, this rationale has done little to quell the international and local outcry against what many perceive as a move towards institutionalizing impunity, rather than addressing past injustices.