On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos – Promsex, the Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos – CNDDHH, and Synergía filed the case of Yefri Peña before the UN Human Rights Committee.

In October 2007, Yefri Peña Tuanama, a trans woman from Lima, Peru, was attacked by five invidivuals on her way home from her workplace as sexual health educator in the Ate-Vitarte district. Yefri sought help in a police station, yet the police officers denied any form of support because of her gender identity.

Yefri was left to the mercy of her five aggressors, who brutally attacked her again and left only when they thought she was dead. As a consequence of the injuries, Yefri spent one month in a semi-comatose state.

The police officers were found guilty of an offence against the State, and Yefri was only heard as witness and denied any form of reparation. In 2015, Yefri filed a complaint against the officers, claiming they were liable of torture. The prosecutor denied that the fact constituted torture, and the case was archived.

The filing organizations trust the UN Human Rights Committee will hold Peru accountable under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights for lack of adequate investigation, lack of any punishment against the perpetrators, and lack of reparation.

#JusticiaParaYefri