Former President Pedro Castillo Urges Peruvian Justice to Comply with UN Recommendation for Immediate Release

Original article: Perú: Expresidente Pedro Castillo exige a la Justicia acatar dictamen de la ONU que recomienda su liberación inmediata

Former President of Peru, Pedro Castillo, has called on the country’s judiciary to adhere to the resolution from the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), which recently concluded that his imprisonment was «arbitrary,» demanding his «immediate» release.

«I make an emphatic call and strongly urge all national and international human rights protection bodies, as well as the judicial authorities in Peru, to immediately comply with and implement the directives set forth by this United Nations body,» Castillo declared upon hearing the news.

«Continued disregard for this international pronouncement not only deepens the political persecution against me but also places the Peruvian state in a condition of open rebellion and a violation of international law,» the former president added.

It is worth noting that in November 2025, Castillo was initially sentenced to 11 years and 6 months in prison on charges of «conspiracy to rebellion.»

However, the WGAD’s report stated that his detention «did not comply with Peruvian law,» which stipulates that a sitting president cannot be detained until Congress lifts political immunity, a process that in Castillo’s case occurred five days after his arrest.

Another point raised by the UN Working Group was the «lack of access to a fair trial for Pedro Castillo,» who «was not able to secure a trusted lawyer immediately after his arrest. Initially, he was represented by a public defender appointed without his consent.»

Furthermore, «Castillo’s defense was denied adequate time and resources,» the report warned.

«Considering all circumstances of the case, the appropriate remedy would be to immediately release Mr. Castillo and grant him effective rights to compensation and other forms of redress in accordance with international law,» emphasized the WGAD resolution.

Peru: «Obliged to Comply»

For former President Castillo, «this decision unequivocally confirms that my imprisonment was never justified and that it was carried out in violation of fundamental norms of constitutionalism, political immunity, due process, and international agreements.»

«The UN Working Group made this determination based on its mandate and the universal principles established in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a binding international treaty to which the Peruvian state is a party and is obligated to fulfill in good faith, in line with its international commitments,» recalled the ex-head of state.

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