Overview
- The court struck down Law No. 32330 as unconstitutional for violating the Constitution and international treaties protecting minors, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- Judges set the minimum age of criminal imputability at 18, clarifying that 16- and 17-year-olds must be investigated, tried and sanctioned only within the juvenile responsibility system.
- All proceedings initiated under the annulled law must be archived and refiled before juvenile authorities, with the Instituto Nacional Penitenciario ordered to move adolescents to specialized centers designated by PRONACEJ.
- Police chief Óscar Arriola condemned the decision as a “retroceso” yet said the PNP will comply, warning of operational risks posed by violent youth offenders.
- Congressman Alejandro Muñante signaled a push for constitutional changes on youth responsibility, as media reports highlighted that nearly 100 adolescents had been held in adult prisons during the law’s brief life.