Former President Convicted of Human Rights Violations Sentenced to 25-years

Fighting Terrorisms Dismissed as a Defense

The April 7, 2009 conviction of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori for human rights violations is a clear sign that Americans (north or south of the boarders) will not tolerate criminal activity from their elected leaders.

Fujimori, was sentenced to 25-years in prison for his role in killings and kidnappings by the Grupo Colina death squad during his government's battle against leftist guerrillas in the 1990's.

In addition, he faces another six years, for a December 11, 2007 conviction for illegal search and seizure of documents and videotapes in the possession of the wife of his former spy chief, Vladimiro Montesinos. Fujimori appealed the verdict, but on April 15, 2008 the Supreme Court upheld the conviction and 6-year sentence.

The convictions mark the first time that an elected head of a Democratic state has been tried, and convicted of human rights violations. Fujimori was specifically found guilty of murder, bodily harm, and two cases of kidnapping.

Fujimori, who spent 10-years as Peru's president, battled both the Shining Path and the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movementgroups by subverting his own democracy, mounted an autogolpe, closed Congress, usurped the judiciary, implemented military tribunals and used death squads, all in the name of fighting terrorism.

Within five years, the country was essentially pacified, but innocent people were imprisoned, a lot of human rights abuses had been committed and certainly democracy was completely subverted. By 2000, Fujimori attempted to run for a third term as president, which was unconstitutional. Ultimately, because of his actions, he was chased out of Peru, and has been in exile for five years. Recently he tried to travel back to Peru via Chile and was arrested.

Fujimori is currently in a Chilean prison where he will likely spend the rest of his life since he is plagued by ill-health from hypertension, cancer and other medical problems.