CEJIL and WOLA condemn the Peruvian Ministry of the Interior’s harrasment against the National Coordinator for Human Rights and other social justice, student, and workers groups.

Washington D.C., 7 de enero de 2015- The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) and the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) condemn the Peruvian Ministry of the Interior and Minister Daniel Urresti’s recent acts of harassment and intimidation against Rocío Silva Santisteban, Executive Director for the National Coordinator for Human Rights (CNDDHH), and other social justice, student and union leaders for their participation in a protest on December 29th, 2014 in Lima.

On December 26, 2014 the Ministry of the Interior’s office of the prosecutor preemptively charged 20 individuals for coordinating the December 29th rally against the recently approved “Law for the promotion of increased access to the workforce and social protections for youth (“Ley Pulpín”).” Among those charged were the Executive Director for the National Coordinator for Human Rights and leaders from other social justice, student and workers’ rights groups.

The charge aimed to serve as a preventive measure in which those who were accused could be held responsible for crimes committed during the protest.

Although the December 29th rally was peaceful, we the undersigned organizations would like to voice our concern over the use of preventive measures or charges. Said measures could deter and limit social protest and dissent, affecting the fundamental rights of members of a democratic society to freely and peacefully voice their agreement or disagreement with the decisions made by their governments.

«In addition, the charge is an illegitimate use of the justice system to criminalize and stigmatize activities carried out by leaders of social justice movements and organizations, as well as human rights defenders,” said Viviana Krsticevic, Executive Director of CEJIL.

The charge is part of a broader pattern. On December 26th, 2014 Radio Programas del Peru broadcast derogatory remarks made by Minister Urresti in reference to the CNDDHH and an art exhibit titled «In your name.» The Minister accused the organization of being «an obstacle to eradicating terrorism» and accused the Executive Secretary for failing to properly account for the organization’s funding sources.

The undersigned denounce these comments as they mean to discredit an organization that has worked fervently to defend human rights in Peru for over 30 years.

«It is unacceptable that such comments can be wielded with impunity by a senior representative of the government, especially considering that the CNDDHH and organizations of national and international civil society have repeatedly requested the resignation of Minister Urresti who— as author of the murder of journalist Hugo Bustío—is currently being prosecuted for offenses against humanity «said Jo-Marie Burt, Senior Fellow for WOLA.

These episodes represent a disturbing interference by the Peruvian State upon social protest and the work and human rights defenders. WOLA and CEJIL would like to call attention to Peru on their duty to prevent slander and the illegitimate use of criminal charges against human rights defenders, as these can lead to stigmatization and limitations on defender’s ability to fight for the guarantee of human rights.