Police and military agents in Peru have been given the green light to kill protesters on site
Source: intellihub.com
Law 30151, passed earlier this year in Peru, gives government agents a license to kill environmental protesters. The law states that members of the armed forces and the National Police are “exempt from criminal responsibility” if they cause injury or death to a protester while on duty. This exception is especially alarming considering the fact that Peru has a terrible human rights record when it comes to dealing with civil unrest.
The Dublin-based NGO Front Line Defenders recently said in a statement that:
“All documented instances of intimidation, death threats, physical attacks, surveillance, stigmatisation, smear campaigns, and judicial harassment appear to be directly related to legitimate and peaceful work, in particular in supporting. . . local communities opposed to mining projects and their impact on their environment, territory and livelihood.”
Juan José Quispe of the Lima based group, the Instituto Libertad y Democracia recently spoke to The Guardian about the dangers of this new law.
“We continue considering this law as one that grants the armed forces as well as the national police a license to kill,” Quispe said. “It permits a high degree of impunity. During the repression of social protests, police officers and soldiers who cause injuries or deaths will now be exempt from criminal responsibility.”
“It’s a dangerous law and constitutes a threat to everyone."
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Read the full article at: intellihub.com
