Pardon of Alberto Fujimori

Pardon of Alberto Fujimori
Part of Peruvian political crisis
Alberto Fujimori in October 1998
Date24 December 2017
LocationPeru
TypePardon
ConvictedAlberto Fujimori
ConvictionsHuman rights abuses, murder and kidnapping
Sentence25 years
Peruvian political crisis
Causes
Events
Elections
Protests
Armed violence
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On 24 December 2017, the President of Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, pardoned jailed ex-president Alberto Fujimori. Because the pardon was granted on Christmas Eve, it became known as the "indulto de Navidad" ("Christmas pardon").[1]

In 2009, Fujimori had been convicted of human rights violations and sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in killings and kidnappings by the Grupo Colina death squad during his government's battle against Shining Path leftist guerrillas in the 1990s. The verdict marked the first time that an elected head of state has been extradited to his home country, tried, and convicted of human rights violations. Fujimori was specifically found guilty of murder, bodily harm, and two cases of kidnapping.[2][3][4][5] The pardon was granted after Fujimori had completed 10 years of imprisonment in Lima.[6]

The pardon sparked massive protests across Peru,[7] even during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations, which are holidays in the country.[8][9] Protestors accused Kuczynski of corruption, claiming that the pardon was a reward for the support of Fujimori's son, Kenji Fujimori, which had been central to Kuczynski's success in surviving an impeachment vote days earlier.[7][10]

On 3 October 2018, Fujimori's pardon was reversed by Peru's Supreme Court and he was ordered to return to prison.[11] He was rushed to a hospital and entered prison on 23 January 2019.[12]

The Constitutional Court of Peru, in a 4–3 ruling on 17 March 2022, reinstated the pardon, though it was not clear if or when he may be released.[13] On 8 April 2022, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights overruled the Constitutional Court and ordered Peru not to release Fujimori.[14]

On 5 December 2023, the Constitutional Court of Peru ordered the release of the former president from prison.

  1. ^ "Alberto Fujimori envió un saludo por Navidad tras conocer su indulto" [Alberto Fujimori sent a Christmas greeting after learning about his pardon]. RPP (in Spanish). 25 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  2. ^ Emery, Alex (7 April 2009). "Peru's Fujimori Found Guilty on Human Rights Charges". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Peru's Fujimori sentenced to 25 years prison". Reuters. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Fujimori es condenado a 25 años de prisión por delitos contra los DDHH" [Fujimori is sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes against human rights]. La República (in Spanish). 7 April 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Fujimori gets 25 years on conviction in human rights case". The Boston Globe. 8 April 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  6. ^ "El presidente de Perú indulta al exmandatario Alberto Fujimori" [The President of Peru pardons ex-President Alberto Fujimori]. NHK (in Spanish). 25 December 2017. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  7. ^ a b Mitra Taj and Marco Aquino (28 December 2017). "Thousands of Peruvians march against Fujimori pardon". Reuters. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  8. ^ Indulto a Fujimori: una Nochebuena de protesta [VIDEO]
  9. ^ https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/mundo/marcha-protesta-peru-indulto-fujimori.html
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Zarate was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ "Peru court reverses ex-leader's pardon". BBC News. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  12. ^ "Peru's Fujimori, pardon annulled, forced back to prison". Reuters. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Peruvian court approves prison release of ex-president Alberto Fujimori". The Guardian. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  14. ^ "Inter-American Court orders Peru not to release Fujimori from prison". Reuters. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2023.