Men charged with contract killing of Indigenous leader to go on trial in Peru

"Five men are due to go on trial on Tuesday over the killing of an Amazonian Indigenous leader, in a legal case that could test whether Peru can hold perpetrators accountable for violence linked to illegal logging and drug trafficking in one of the world's most dangerous regions for environmental defenders. The Kichwa tribal leader Quinto Inuma Alvarado was killed on 29 November 2023, after repeatedly denouncing illegal activity within his community's territory."

"Prosecutors are seeking life sentences under charges of contract killing, a first in a case involving the death of an Indigenous environmental defender in Peru. The trial will be closely watched by Indigenous groups, environmental advocates and international observers as a test of whether Peru can curb violence linked to illegal deforestation and drug trafficking in the Amazon, where community leaders who defend forests and land rights often face threats with little protection and few cases ever reach court."

"Being a real environmental defender requires a lot of sacrifice walking through the forest, in sun and rain, and exposing yourself to danger. Kevin said his father who was from Santa Rosillo de Yanayacu, in Peru's northern Amazonian region of San Martin had received repeated threats for opposing illegal activities and was aware of the risks. He used to tell us that one day they might kill him and that we should be prepared, he said."

Five men face trial for the November 29, 2023 killing of Kichwa leader Quinto Inuma Alvarado in San Martín, Peru. Prosecutors seek life sentences on contract killing charges, a first for the death of an Indigenous environmental defender in Peru. The killing followed years of threats and unheeded official warnings. Authorities allege the suspects, believed to be illegal loggers, targeted Inuma for defending Indigenous land and reporting illegal activities. Family members describe his deep commitment and the personal risks he accepted. Indigenous organisations, legal groups and international observers are watching the case as a measure of Peru's ability to curb Amazon violence tied to illegal logging and drug trafficking.

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