Peru: Ailing ex-President Fujimori pardoned

By Zehra Ulucak

LIMA, Peru

Citing ill health, Peru's president late Sunday pardoned his predecessor Alberto Fujimori from serving a 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity and corruption.

In a written statement, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said that he decided to release Fujimori, 79, for "humanitarian reasons" as he has “a progressive, degenerative and incurable disease.”

On Saturday Fujimori had been rushed to the hospital with a sharp drop in blood pressure and heart arrhythmia.

Human rights activists protested the pardon, which cannot be appealed.

Fujimori, who served in 1990-2000, fled Peru in 2000 after a bribery scandal, but was arrested in Chile in 2007 and extradited to his country.

The former president was convicted of the death of 25 people, embezzlement, and bribery.

By Zehra Ulucak

LIMA, Peru

Citing ill health, Peru's president late Sunday pardoned his predecessor Alberto Fujimori from serving a 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity and corruption.

In a written statement, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said that he decided to release Fujimori, 79, for "humanitarian reasons" as he has “a progressive, degenerative and incurable disease.”

On Saturday Fujimori had been rushed to the hospital with a sharp drop in blood pressure and heart arrhythmia.

Human rights activists protested the pardon, which cannot be appealed.

Fujimori, who served in 1990-2000, fled Peru in 2000 after a bribery scandal, but was arrested in Chile in 2007 and extradited to his country.

The former president was convicted of the death of 25 people, embezzlement, and bribery.