Peruvian rights groups are alarmed by a new bill that hinders NGOs from litigating against the state for human rights violations. Intended to tighten scrutiny over NGO funding and activities, the legislation has drawn significant backlash for its implications on justice and civil rights. Prominent NGOs condemn it as detrimental to democracy.
Peruvian human rights organizations have condemned a newly adopted bill preventing NGOs from pursuing legal action against the state regarding human rights violations. The legislation, passed by right-wing controlled Congress, designates actions such as advising, assisting, or financing lawsuits against the state as serious offenses. Additionally, it intensifies scrutiny on the sources of foreign funding for these organizations.
The government must either implement the bill or return it to Congress with amendments within two weeks. Promsex, an NGO advocating for women’s sexual and reproductive rights, criticized the law, calling it a significant setback for democracy and human rights. It stated that the law obstructs justice and promotes impunity.
The Press and Society Institute, focused on media rights, likened this bill to similar legislation enacted by authoritarian governments in Latin America. The Peruvian Congress aims to regulate NGOs more strictly, reacting to conservative frustrations over the organizations pursuing cases of alleged human rights abuses, including a notable case about forced sterilization practices in the 1990s.
Congress president Eduardo Salhuana claimed the bill aims to ensure that international aid is appropriately allocated and is not manipulated by NGOs to challenge the state. However, civil society organizations argue the bill is unconstitutional as it effectively grants the government unchecked control over NGO operations. Notably, Peru already has an agency dedicated to overseeing NGOs and their funding transparency.
The recent bill adopted by the Peruvian Congress poses severe restrictions on NGO activities, particularly hindering their ability to address human rights abuses. Critics argue that it undermines democracy by limiting justice accessibility and enhancing governmental oversight. The law has drawn comparisons to measures taken in authoritarian regimes, and many view it as unconstitutional, given the existing regulatory body for NGOs in Peru.
Original Source: www.batimes.com.ar
