Summary

The Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, conducted an official visit to Peru from 8 to 17 May 2023 to assess the situation of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the country, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 15/21 and 41/12.

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur focuses on a series of large-scale protests in Peru since December 2022 and the State’s response to these. He expresses concerns about reports of excessive use of force by security forces in the context of protests as well as increasing restrictions in law and in practice, which have impaired the effective enjoyment of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Government ensure accountability, foster national dialogue, and implement legal and policy reforms to protect the rights to freedom of assembly and association, as part of measures to overcome underlying causes of the recent waves of protests, in particular persistent discrimination against and marginalization of Indigenous rural communities. The Special Rapporteur remains committed to working with the Government and the people of Peru in their efforts to meet the State’s obligations under international human rights law.