Dr Olázabal has been responsible for the investigation and prosecution of many high-profile cases against members of the government and military who have committed serious human rights violations. One such case is the Putis massacre in 1984 where 123 men, women and children were brutally murdered by the Peruvian military. CSW has reported before on the progress of this case, and asked supporters to pray for the families of the victims.
She also spearheaded the cases on the Callqui and Lucanamarca massacres, and was responsible for the exhumation and investigation of mass graves at Los Cabitos, in Ayacucho, where the remains of hundreds of the “disappeared” were uncovered.
Under threat
Dr Olázabal and her family have received threats because of her work, in which she fights for justice without fear or favour. Despite working as a government prosecutor, she has never feared to speak up when the government was at fault. Sadly, because of her bravery and commitment to justice, the Peruvian Government is now trying to silence her.
The charges against Dr. Cristina Olázabal were filed by the Attorney General of the Nation, Gladys Echaíz. They related to a formal case Dr Olázabal submitted as a provincial prosecutor for the region of Ayacucho. The suit named Peru’s current President, Alan García, as ultimately responsible for a 1985 massacre carried out by government troops in the community of Accomarca. García was president at the time. According to legal experts consulted by CSW, the charges of “prevaricato”, or violation of legal duty, filed against Dr. Olázabal were serious, and could have resulted in the loss of her job and, potentially, criminal proceedings.
The Peru Europe Platform (PEP), a coalition of NGOs from across Europe of which CSW is a member, urged the Peruvian government to drop all charges against Dr Olázabal.
We were delighted to hear in May 2010 that the charges had been dropped, and that Dr Olazabal was subsequently allowed to return to her work.
