Recent news from Peru has stirred up old tensions as Victor Polay Campos, a notorious figure in Peruvian history, reemerges on the public stage. Campos, also known as ‘Comrade Rolando’, is a known terrorist and the founder and leader of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (TARM).
On August 30, the Peruvian media announced that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) had accepted a lawsuit submitted by Campos for processing. This development has reignited public discussions on the sobering past and potential consequences of this proposed lawsuit.
The TARM, active during the 1980s, was accused of over 1,200 human rights violations between 1980 and 2000 according to the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Campos, held responsible for numerous kidnappings, murders, and attacks, was sentenced in 1993 to life imprisonment by a faceless court. Following the annulment of this sentence, he was once more sentenced in 2006 to serve 35 years in prison and pay fifty million in Sol as civil compensation for terrorism, aggravated terrorism, and document falsification.
Despite serving his sentence, Campos’s representative presented a petition alleging persistent torture against him in 2007, which was recently accepted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in 2022. This situation has resurrected painful memories and caused a stir in Peruvian society, especially for victims and their families who were directly affected by the deeds of Campos and his associated group.
One disconcerting element of this situation is the seeming lack of remorse displayed by Campos for his actions. Rather, he maintains that his actions were justified as a struggle on behalf of the poor. Regardless of his purported motive, his actions are indisputably inhumane.
The acknowledgment of Campos’s petition by the IACHR does not necessarily mean he will be released. The IACHR does not assess evidence to determine guilt or innocence, its main focus is to ascertain if Peruvian judicial authorities have fulfilled their obligations under the American Convention on Human Rights.
This situation has understandably led to widespread indignation among Peruvian citizens. It seems paradoxical that someone who caused so much harm and suffering due to radical ideologies can demand justice and recognition of rights. José Luis Gil, former head of the Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior, believes that this lawsuit in favor of Campos is part of a broader strategy used by those convicted of terrorism to acquire undue benefits, specifically financial compensation.
In light of these facts, the course of Campos’s case and forthcoming actions by the IACHR, his defense, and the Peruvian State are eagerly anticipated. However, it is important to note that the admission of the petition does not necessarily imply a modification of the penalty that Campos might be anticipating.
The original report was filed from Cusco by Flor Maria Gutierrez Gutierrezis, a law student from the Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco and a member of CIED, a legal research center committed to the spreading of legal information and fostering critical debate for the country’s development. The entire report can be reviewed on the following link.