LIMA, Peru - Peru is bracing itself for three days of protests following the surprising release of former leader Alberto Fujimori from prison. Fujimori, who had been serving a 25-year sentence for his involvement in the massacre of 25 suspected subversives during his presidency, was freed after a controversial decision by the constitutional court to reinstate a pardon granted in 2017 on humanitarian grounds.

The release of Fujimori, who is now 85 years old, has sparked outrage both domestically and internationally. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights had warned that Fujimori had not fulfilled the necessary requirements for a pardon in a conviction for crimes against humanity, which include acknowledging guilt, undergoing independent medical tests, and paying compensation.

Sonia Paredes of Amnesty International Peru warns that the ruling not only risks making Peru an international pariah but also undermines access to justice. She emphasizes the importance of considering the victims of human rights abuses when granting pardons, a factor that seems to have been overlooked in this case.

The initial pardon was granted by former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski six years ago in an attempt to appease the Fujimorista party's dominance in congress. However, it was swiftly overturned by the inter-American court, leading to Kuczynski's resignation under the threat of impeachment. The recent reapproval of the pardon in controversial circumstances has caused widespread distress in Peru.

Cardinal Pedro Barreto, the highest-ranking archbishop in the country, describes the pardon as a "slap in the face that hurts our soul" while emphasizing the need to express both calm and indignation.

Despite his controversial legacy, Fujimori remains a hero for many on the right in Peru for his government's success in combating the Shining Path rebel group, the region's only significant Maoist movement. However, his tenure was marred by allegations of corruption, with billions of dollars disappearing from public funds, and his unconstitutional decision to shut down congress and the courts in 1992.

The impact of the pardon on Fujimori's upcoming trials remains uncertain. One of these trials, regarding a massacre by a clandestine death squad in the town of Pativilca, is scheduled to start later this month. Another case involves forced sterilizations, where thousands of mostly poor and Indigenous women were allegedly coerced into undergoing sterilization procedures against their will. Peruvian prosecutors have applied to the Chilean courts, from where Fujimori was extradited in 2007, for permission to try him in that case.

The release of Fujimori comes at a time when Peru's conservative-dominated congress, with an approval rating of just 6%, has been accused of dismantling the country's democracy by manipulating various institutions such as the constitutional court. Two members of the court who opposed the pardon claim that they were not notified of the ruling.

This controversy involving the release of Fujimori is the latest human rights issue to rock Peru, following the slow progress of investigations into security forces' killings of anti-government protesters in late 2022 and early 2023. President Dina Boluarte, who is viewed by many as having blood on her hands, has refused to resign, asserting that the country is "calm and at peace." However, with only an 8% approval rating, her statement finds little agreement among the citizens of Peru.