Justice Department orders 18-month pretrial detention against police officer Joe Eric Torres Lovon for death of Rosalino Flores in Cusco | PNP | Latest | Peru

He Authorized person Issued an 18-month order Detention Jail Against a non-commissioned officer of the Peruvian National Police (PNP). Joe Eric Torres Lowen For being directly responsible for the death of 22-year-old Rosalino Flores Valverde, who died during an anti-government protest in Cusco in January 2023.

Judge Leotan Cristobal Ayala of the Sixth Preparatory Court of the Supreme Court concluded that the government had used excessive and disproportionate force against the population. And accepted the request of Mirela Karnal, the lawyer of the Special Prosecutors Committee for the cases of victims during social protests (Eficavit) issued on December 1 last year.

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Torres Lovón was prosecuted for allegedly committing treasonable homicide in the context of violent crimes against human rights. It was a member of the SUAT-UNEME tactical operations subdivision of the Cusco Police Region.

Rosalino Flores Valverde, 22 years old and a gastronomy student, received more than 30 shots with metal pellets on January 11, 2023 and died 69 days later. A police officer has been accused of firing at a teenager from Cusco at a distance of less than three meters. The bullets hit his stomach and destroyed his intestines.

“The damage is immeasurable, not just to their families. His father, mother and younger brothers have suffered incalculably and indescribably. (…)This is not an isolated crime, but an unequal state response. “Not only were lives affected, but people's rights to express their dissent were also affected.”Judge Leotan Cristobal said during the decision reading hearing held on Friday, January 5, 2024.

The story of Rosalino Flores

On the afternoon of January 11, Rosalino Flores and his brother Juan José demonstrated in the streets of Cuzco against the government of Tina Bolavart. The young man took refuge behind a tree as the crowd fled, as law enforcement forces began shooting at protesters and passers-by, according to video footage and investigations by international organizations. Then you see an officer approach him with his gun and give chase, even as the student flees, shooting him in the back until the police officer blasts him with bullets, leaving him lying on the road without him. No one can help him.

For 11 days he was admitted to the Antonio Lorena Hospital in Cusco, where he underwent three operations and they were able to remove fourteen of the 36 pellets. Later, due to his delicate condition, he was transferred to Lima, to the Arzobispo Loiza Hospital, where he remained in intensive care until his death, which occurred on March 22, more than 60 days from the date. He was shot.

The lawyer of the victim's family, Juan José Guispe, explained to El Comercio. This is the first case of custodial custody against a direct perpetrator of civilian deaths during the protests.

“This is a major breakthrough in the investigations that have been going on for over a year now. It is a landmark case in the sense that it is the first case to be held against someone who directly authored the death of a protester of a social movement. Furthermore, in his decision, the magistrate made it clear that the State used excessive and wrongful force, through Peru's National Police, to repel the protesters.”, He pointed out.

He also recalled that lawyer Mirela Coronel said in her request for detention that Torres and some members of the PNP obstructed the investigation by hiding, altering and releasing information about what happened on January 11, 2023. The shooting against Rosalino Flores, despite the statute establishing it The SUAT Arms Allocation Memorandum contains an amendment regarding the date of return of pellet hunting rifle. In addition, the VII Macro Police Region of Cuzco told the Public Ministry that SUAT personnel were not sent to the area, but videos of SUAT personnel at the prosecutor's office on Av. On July 28, Rosalino Flores was shot in the presence of Warrant Officer Joe Torres.

“The police are covering up senior officers, failing to establish a chain of command, misusing public documents, trying to surprise the public ministry, and this is an aspect that needs to be investigated and the complaint should be expanded, not only against Mr. Torres Lovon for providing false documents, but for providing those documents. against the persons and the PNP.“They have committed crimes of obstruction of justice”. Added Juan José Quispe.