2
III. In addition, I made every effort to explain the clear role of “negative
legislator” of the Constitutional Court in the European model, which has
been gradually developed in Latin American constitutionalism, by means of
which all norms enacted into law which, due to their spurious nature,
disregard the principle of supremacy of the Constitution are set aside and
removed from the legal system. However, said traditional role, which had its
origin in Italian and Spanish constitutionalism but which is equally being
recognized in our system, 2 has evolved to recognized, albeit exceptionally,
the role of “positive legislator” of the Court, capable of endowing norms that
have not been removed from the legal system with a different content,
which is compatible with the constitution and more aligned with the human
rights enshrined in the American Convention.
IV. This is exactly the role played by the Constitutional when rendering the
aforesaid decision on January 3, 2003. On that occasion, the legislative
effect of the Court’s finding removed from the Peruvian legal system the
most disturbing aspects of the emergency law, inter alia, the unacceptable
crime of high treason over which military courts had exclusive jurisdiction;
anonymous or “faceless” judges; the curtailment of the right of those
accused of crimes of terrorism to resort to the courts for the protection of
constitutional rights; and the inhuman punishment and prison conditions.
V. However, the Constitutional Court deemed it necessary to maintain the
definitions of the crimes set out in Decree-Law No. 25.475 which were
compatible with the Constitution and international human rights
instruments, on condition that in applying the law the authorities of the
State include criteria to better delimit those definitions which, due to their
very nature, may be reasonably open-ended. 3
Content of the Interpretative Decision of the Constitutional Court in
relation to the basic definition of the crime under analysis in this
judgment
VI. For illustration purposes, it is relevant to quote some excerpts of the
interpretative decision which clearly reveal its legislative purpose
8.1. Scope and extent of the nullum crimen nulla poena sine lege
praevia principle (Article 2(24)(d) of the Constitution)
44.
The nullum crimen nulla poena sine lege praevia
principle is enshrined in Article 2(24)(d) of the Peruvian Political
Constitution “no person shall be charged with or convicted of an
offense in respect of any act or omission which, at the time of such act
2
See. DIAZ REVORÍO, Javier. Las Sentencias Interpretativas del Tribunal Constitucional. Significado,
tipología, efectos yb legitimidad. Análisis Especial de las Sentencias Aditivas (Interpretative Decisions of
the Constitutional Court. Meaning, typology, effect, and legitimacy. Special Analysis of Amendatory
Decisions by way of Addition). Valladolid: Nova Lex Press, 2001; also published by Palestra Press in Peru.
3
LAMARCA; Carmen, Tratamiento Jurídico del Terrorismo (Legal Regulation of Terrorism). Madrid: Centro
de Publicaciones del Ministerio de Justicia, 1985.