Former Peruvian official sentenced to 15 years for 1984 forced disappearance

A former local political authority in Peru's southern Ayacucho region has received a 15-year prison sentence for the forced disappearance of a citizen in 1984. The conviction marks a significant development in a case dating back to the country's internal conflict.

The Public Ministry announced that the sentence was handed down to former district governor Elías Ccollana for the forced disappearance of Silvestre Quispe. Official sources stated that evidence presented during the oral trial established Ccollana's role in Quispe's detention and subsequent disappearance on August 6, 1984. At the time, Ccollana served as the lieutenant governor of the Acos Vinchos district and chaired the local Self-Defense Committee, civilian armed groups formed to combat the Shining Path subversive group.

Testimonial and documentary evidence confirmed Ccollana's direct involvement in the arbitrary detention and disappearance. An anthropologist contributed to establishing the socio-political context of the events, while witnesses, supported by the Ayacucho District Unit for Victim and Witness Protection and Assistance, participated in the proceedings.

In addition to the prison term, Ccollana was ordered to pay 50,000 soles (approximately $14,792) in civil reparations to the victim's family. The First Supraprovincial Specialized Criminal Prosecutor's Office for Human Rights in Ayacucho, led by prosecutor Carlos Alberto Palomino, secured the conviction. The office reaffirmed its dedication to defending human rights, particularly for vulnerable populations.