Lima, Peru—— Following recent horrific events A 12-year-old girl was murdered In Lima, Peru, President Dina Boluate said publicly on two separate occasions that one should not be afraid to debate the death penalty for child rapists.
“We have to stop being afraid of this discussion because what is truly horrific is that our boys and girls are still the victims of rape and murder. Now is the time to act.” she said December 12, during an official event in the northern city of Piura. Peru's comments came despite it being a signatory to the San Jose Convention in Costa Rica, which prohibits the death penalty in participating countries.
exist TuesdayBoluate has urged the authorities to reopen the debate. “I appeal to the judicial authorities, the Attorney General's Office and the judiciary. We cannot allow such criminals to remain on the streets or benefit from any form of leniency,” she said.
She added: “We should not tolerate those who dare to harm our boys and girls, the most sacred and untouchable members of the Peruvian family.”
In Peru, the death penalty historically applied for treason, terrorism, espionage, genocide, rebellion and desertion during war until 1979. In 1993, the death penalty was reintroduced for terrorism-related crimes during armed conflict, but was eventually abolished again.
Government to consult Peruvians on imposing death penalty for child rapists
After the meeting of the Council of Ministers on December 10, Justice Minister Eduardo Arana Announce The government will seek public comment on whether to pursue the death penalty in these cases.
“This proposal by the President, after being adopted by the executive branch, will be implemented by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. It will be a serious proposal that will be submitted to the consideration of citizens across the country to determine whether the death penalty is appropriate in such cases.”
Arana revealed that public hearings will be held at the national, regional and local levels to gather opinions on the possible implementation of the death penalty. If Peru decided to reinstate the death penalty for child rapists, it would force the country to withdraw from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights because the death penalty does not meet the human rights standards required by the court. This would put other rights such as integrity, freedom of expression and property rights in a severely vulnerable position.
Arana stressed that the proposal, championed by President Boluarte, was being handled responsibly by the government and rejected claims that it was politically motivated or acted as a “smokescreen.”
at the same time, Record Reports from the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Persons (MIMP) reveal a disturbing increase in cases of sexual violence against children and adolescents. In 2019, the department handled more than 15,000 cases. In 2021, this number rose to 21,000 and in 2023 it was close to 30,000.
