Fujimori emboldened as Peru court cuts death squad's sentence

Fujimori emboldened as Peru court cuts death squad's sentence
Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:16 GMT
Source: reuters // Reuters

* Former spy chief's sentence reduced to 20 years

* Critics fear decision could lead to Fujimori pardon

LIMA, July 23 (Reuters) - Peru's Supreme Court has cut the prison terms being served by members of an infamous government death squad, a ruling that critics said on Monday could be used to push for the release of jailed former President Alberto Fujimori.

A panel of Supreme Court judges lead by Justice Javier Villa Stein said a series of massacres carried out by the Colina death squad during Fujimori's war against leftist rebels in the 1990s amounted to "human rights violations" but not the more egregious "crimes against humanity" for which they were convicted.

The sentence for Fujimori's imprisoned spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos, 67, who ran the group, was reduced from 25 years to 20 years. Other members of the Colina group received similar reductions to their prison terms.

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President Ollanta Humala said the reduced sentences were an "unpleasant surprise" while Justice Minister Juan Jimenez said he would try to block the ruling from taking effect. Two lawyers who helped prosecute Fujimori in 2009 for human rights crimes - Avelino Guillen and Ronald Gamarra - called the decision illogical and unlawful.

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