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Peru: Veto Military Justice Bill

(Washington, DC) – Peruvian President José María Balcázar should veto a bill that would expand the military justice system, Human Rights Watch said today. The bill would effectively open the door to impunity for police officers and members of the armed forces responsible for human rights violations. On June 23, 2026, Congress passed a bill that would modify the Military Police Criminal Code , expanding the definition of “service-related offenses,” which are handled by the military justice system. The changes would benefit, among others, police and military officers responsible for the killings of dozens of protesters and bystanders during demonstrations in late 2022 and early 2023. “This bill is a recipe for impunity,” said Juanita Goebertus , Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Signing this bill into law would give current members of the police and the military carte blanche to commit new human rights violations.” Under the Peruvian constitution , President Balcázar has 15 days to decide what to do with the bill after Congress sends it to his office for signing. If Balcázar lets the 15 days pass without either signing or vetoing the bill, Congress is allowed to sign it into law. If he returns the bill to Congress, the legislation would be considered by the newly elected bicameral Congress, which takes office on July 28 and would need an absolute majority to pass the law. The bill would also require the Supreme Court to “give preference to the military police jurisdiction” when resolving jurisdictional disputes. In August 2024, Congress allowed soldiers accused of crimes against humanity to benefit from statutes of limitations that are inappropriate in the context of such serious international crimes. In August 2025, Congress also passed a law granting amnesty to members of the armed forces responsible for serious crimes committed during the armed conflict that englufled the country from 1980 to 2000. The National Board of Justice, a body charged with appointing judges and prosecutors, has opened investigations , often at the request of Congress members, against judges who have argued that the amnesty and statute-of-limitations laws run counter to the Peruvian Constitution and have declined to apply them. “By creating a new regime of impunity for abusive security forces, this bill would launch a dangerous attack on the rule of law in Peru,” Goebertus said.