CIVICUS joins national and international civil society organisations in expressing grave concern over recent legislative amendments in Peru that threaten civic space and the work of human rights defenders.
We are writing to express our deep concern about the approval1 on April 14, 2025, by the President of the Republic Mrs. Dina Boluarte, amendments to Law 2769 which established the Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation (APCI). The amendments seriously jeopardise the work of those who defend human rights and democracy.
These amendments have been defended as measures aimed at improving transparency, strengthening APCI role, and optimising the supervision of the resources received by the entities managing international technical cooperation. However, the proposed amendments include provisions that are incompatible with international human rights standards. Concerns have been raised2 by four United Nations special rapporteurs since June 2024.
The provision outlining the mandatory requirement for organizations executing international technical cooperation to register their programs, plans and projects is particularly concerning. It also requires reporting on the amounts and sources of financing (article 4.m). They also require the prior approval of the APCI to use the resources from such cooperation (article 4.u).
The implementation of activities without the prior approval of the APCI, including any modification or use of funds without proper justification, constitutes a serious infraction and will be subject to sanctions (article 21.b.4).
Another troubling provision declares the use of international technical cooperation resources to assist or finance legal actions by national or international bodies against the Peruvian State as a serious infraction (Article 21.c.2). This would represent a barrier for human rights victims of the Peruvian State. Among most affected are those seeking justice and reparation for the abuses committed during the dictatorship, especially Indigenous Peoples seeking international cooperation funds to guarantee their rights against the State. In other words, this law would encourage impunity for State crimes.
The modification of the law, which is still pending approval by the Executive Branch, aims to control civil society organisations that receive funds from international cooperation. It poses a risk by empowering the State to control the activities of organisations and violates the freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression.
These reforms reflect a trend of regression in civic space and human rights in Peru. In the most recent CIVICUS Monitor report, the country was downgraded from ‘obstructed’ classification to ‘repressive’ because civil society faces a hostile environment marked by escalating violence, acts of harassment, aggressions, threats and defamation by the State and extreme right-wing groups.3 The approval of this law adds to a worrying trend of hindering and criminalising the work of civil organisations and human rights defenders.
Signed by
AMAS Marianistas
Amantani
Asociación de Travestis, Transexuales y Transgéneros del Perú (ATTTPE)
Asociación Padre Alberto Hurtado – Via Patris
Centro de Liderazgo e Innovación para Mujeres de las Américas, Perú
CIVICUS
FeminARTE
GRUFIDES
Instituto de Comunicación y Desarrollo, Uruguay
Oilwatch Latinoamérica
- Executive enacts Anti-Justice Law, amending the APCI Law. AIDESEP, 14 April 2025
- Joint statement by UN Special Rapporteurs on assembly, expression, human rights defenders, and counter-terrorism. 19 June 2024.
- People Power Under Attack 2024, CIVICUS Monitor, December 2024
***Image credit: Wikimedia
