6
above, I fully agree with the views expressed by legal experts 6 -which in
turn are in line with the decision of the majority of the Court, based on the
consideration set forth in paragraph 194 of this judgment- insofar as, this
way, the basic definition of the crime establishes the elements of the
criminalized conduct in a manner such that they may be distinguished from
acts which are either not punishable or punishable with non-criminal
sanctions.
XI.
In this regard, I also fully concur with the operative part and the
consideration set out in paragraph 195 of this judgment, in that the
definitions of collaboration with and membership in and affiliation with a
terrorist organization (Articles 4 and 5 of Decree-Law No. 25.475 and Article
322 of the Criminal Code of 1991) do not violate Article 9 of the American
Convention, as per -as pointed out by the Honorable Judges- the criterion
established by this Court in the Case of Lori Berenson (referred exclusively
to the crime of collaboration), given that both definitions establish the
elements of the criminalized conduct in a manner such that they may be
distinguished from acts which are either not punishable or punishable with
non-criminal sanctions.
Some elements of the Decision on Constitutionality and of the Decision
adopted by the Supreme Court of Peru that, in my opinion, are missing
in the Judgment rendered by the Inter-American Court to which this
separate opinion is appended
XII.
For better understanding by this Honorable Court and the legal community,
especially in the field of human rights, I would have preferred a more
detailed mention of the content of the Decision on Constitutionality
delivered by the Constitutional Court on January 3, 2003 -and partially
transcribed in this opinion- as the Court has limited itself to simply taking
account thereof.
XIII.
Furthermore, it would have been extremely positive for this Court to admit,
as evidence to facilitate the adjudication of the case, the content of Decision
No. 3048-2004 rendered by Permanent Criminal Chamber of the Supreme
Court of Justice of Peru (Sala Penal Permanente de la Corte Suprema de la
República del Peru) on December 21, 2004 on the action to vacate the
judgment of conviction for this type of crimes filed by defendant Alfonso
Abel Dueñas-Escobar. Indeed, this final judgment -(ejecutoria suprema) as
we call decisions rendered by a court of last resort which, therefore, become
res judicata- constitutes a precedent binding upon all Peruvian courts. 7 Once
again, the ruling of the Supreme Court establishes strict interpretation
6
See. GAMARRA HERRERA, Ronald, in collaboration with Robert Meza. Terrorismo Tratamiento Jurídico
(Terrorism, Legal Regulation). Lima: Instituto de Defensa Legal, 1996; and LAMARCA; Carmen,
Tratamiento Jurídico del Terrorismo (Legal Regulation of Terrorism). Madrid: Centro de Publicaciones del
Ministerio de Justicia, 1985.
7
In the operative part, the Permanent Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of Peru (Sala
Penal Permanente de la Corte Suprema de la República) resolved: “TO ADOPT as binding precedent the
legal basis set out in whereas clause number 9 of this final judgment, and to order its publication in the
Peruvian Official Gazette…”