Human rights in Peru

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Several issues were brought to Peruvian justice courts in 2000 to address several human rights violations during the Internal conflict in Peru during the 1980s. These issues constituted one of the largest processes of systematic violence in Peru's history. Many concerns remain today over the lack of human rights given to Andean men and women by the government. The Shining Path continues to kill civilians; for example in December 2007 a family of four was killed by presumed Shining Path militants in retaliation for the death of Comrade Clay. The security forces of Peru were also blamed for civilian deaths in 2007 during various protests and strikes.

Background

In the Constitution of Peru a person is granted certain rights as life, welfare, moral, psychic and physic integrity (art.1). Furthermore, equality before the law (Art.2), freedom of thought (art.3), and freedom of expression (art.4).Peru is a party to the American Convention on Human Rights and the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the area of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and thus is subject to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Peru is also a party to the Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture. The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens. The following human rights problems were reported: alleged unlawful killings by government forces and disappearance of persons in an area under military control; abuse of detainees and inmates by police and prison security forces; harsh prison conditions; lengthy pretrial detention and inordinate trial delays; attacks on the media by local authorities; corruption; harassment of some civil society groups; violence and discrimination against women; violence against children, including sexual abuse; trafficking in persons; discrimination against indigenous communities, ethnic minorities, and gay and lesbian persons; failure to apply or enforce labor laws; and child labor in the informal sector.[1]

In June 2001 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established to investigate human rights abuses that took place in the 1980s and 1990s.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 2008 Human Rights Report: Peru, 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, February 25, 2009, U. S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Accessed 11 May 2010.