Peru Prosecutor’s Office investigates repression of protesters during protests

Clashes between security forces and protesters in Ayacucho left at least eight dead in that city of Peru, on December 15, when they were protesting against the resignation of President Dina Boluarte.

Among the victims of that day is a minor, but the civilian deaths during all the demonstrations reach 48.

In an investigation opened by the Peruvian Prosecutor’s Office, it will be determined if the police authorities abused the use of force to repress the demonstrators and cause their death in some cases.

The agency explained that the investigation, in charge of a specialized human rights prosecutor’s office in the department of Ayacucho (560 km southeast of Lima), targets police personnel, the army and those “responsible for the alleged commission of the crimes of qualified manslaughter and injuries,” according to a statement.

“The specialized provincial prosecutor’s office has been fulfilling its investigative functions in accordance with the required legal standards,” said the National Prosecutor’s Office in the document published on its social networks.

Among the supporting documents for the investigation are reports by IDL Reporters, a media outlet that reported that the military, armed with Galil assault rifles, shot and killed six unarmed protesters when they had already been evicted from the Lima airport.

The Prosecutor’s Office explained that it has obtained 147 videos, collected medical documents and interviewed those injured in the protest as part of its investigations, in addition to carrying out ballistics and necropsies, as well as interviews with relatives of the victims. (YO)