In Peru, investigations into the killing of protesters by security forces are often closed without any charges, leaving families of victims without justice and undermining people’s faith in their government. Antonia Huillca, a 51-year-old Quechua farmer, is one of many who have been left without answers after her husband was shot and killed during a protest in 2016. José Cárdenas, whose younger brother was killed in 2015 in clashes with the police, said “My brother didn’t die in an accident. He was shot.” Yet, over the past two decades, prosecutors have not won a single conviction against police or military officers or their superiors for killings at protests. A lack of accountability for excessive use of force by security agencies is a serious human rights failure, according to civil rights organizations. President Dina Boluarte has blamed the deadly clashes on protesters who have blocked roads and attacked security forces with rocks and slingshots. It is time for Peru to take action and ensure that justice is served for the victims of police brutality.
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