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Lawyers for Peru's Pro Human Rights Association (Aprodeh), the Institute for Legal Defense (IDL) and Ecumenical Foundation for Peace and Development (Fedepaz) will present their arguments against the pardon granted to Alberto Fujimori, who was sentenced by 25 years in prison for crimes against humanity, on Friday.
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Since Peru's president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski announced in December 2017 a "humanitarian" pardon for Fujimori, victim's relatives and many social and political organizations have taken to the streets in protest against impunity and the government.
Aprodeh, the group accompanying the victims of La Cantuta massacre has said that "Fujimori's pardon was not based in an alleged health deterioration, but rather on a political agreement to save a legislative commission revealed Kuczynski," who was facing an impeachment process in Congress after involvement in a corruption scandal.
Kuczynski was saved from impeachment by ten "fujimorista" lawmakers, among the Fujimori's son Kenji, the pact was recently confirmed by Reuters.
The Inter American Commission on Human Rights released a statement in December expressing "its profound concern" over the pardon. The statement argued that "Alberto Fujimori's pardon doesn't meet the fundamental legal prerequisites, nor the elements of due legal process, and independence and transparency of the technical evaluation."
Furthermore, the Commission rejected the pardon "because it is a decision that goes against Peru's international obligations." Shortly after, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's Chief of Staff, Mercedes Araoz, said during a recent interview that the government would uphold Fujimori's "humanitarian" pardon, even if the Inter-American Court of Human Rights requests its annulment.
Human rights organizations have called for a solidarity action on Friday in Lima to ask the Inter American Court to order the Peruvian government to annul the pardon.
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