The Peruvian Congress approved Thursday the disqualification of two members of the National Board of Justice (JNJ), Luz Inés Tello de Ñecco and Aldo Alejandro Vásquez Ríos, from public service for 10 years.

During the Thursday plenary session, the Peruvian Congress debated and voted for a final report recommending the ouster of several members of the JNJ for their alleged violation of articles 156 (section 3) and 139 (section 3) of the Peruvian Constitution. As a result, the Peruvian Congress passed draft resolutions against Luz Inés Tello de Ñecco and Aldo Alejandro Vásquez Ríos. The motions against several other JNJ members, including Antonio Humberto de la Haza Barrantes, Imelda Julia Tumialán Pinto, Guillermo Santiago Thornberry Villarán, Henry José Ávila Herrera and María Amabilia Zavala Valladares, failed.

The JNJ is the institution in charge of organizing and supervising the election process and appointing and removing prosecutors and judges at all levels in Peru. In November 2023, a UN expert expressed concern about the Peruvian Congress’ attempts to remove JNJ members, alleging they appeared to be aimed at “undermining the independent functioning of the JNJ and thus the independence of the judiciary in the country.”

A statement jointly issued on Thursday by four human rights organizations, the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), the Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLf), Human Rights Watch and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), condemned the continuous attacks by the Peruvian Congress on the JNJ, which they allege could cause “democratic deterioration” in the country.