A Peruvian court has sentenced four men to between 15 and 35 years in prison for the 2023 murder-for-hire of Indigenous Kichwa leader and rainforest defender Quinto Inuma Alvarado. The verdict, delivered Monday evening, is being viewed as a crucial test of accountability for violence against Indigenous and environmental defenders in the Amazon region.
Genix Saboya Saboya and Limber Ríos Ruiz received the longest sentences, 35 years each. Segundo Juan Villalobos Guevara, identified by prosecutors as the timber operator who ordered the killing, was sentenced to 28 years and four months. Jerly Saboya Saboya, convicted as an accomplice, received a 15-year sentence.
Inuma, 50, was shot and killed on November 29, 2023, while traveling by boat back to his community, Santa Rosillo de Yanayacu, in the northern San Martin region of Peru. He was returning from a national meeting of environmental and land defenders. A woman traveling with him was also wounded in the attack.
The ruling comes nearly three years after Inuma's death. Tom Younger, Peru program coordinator at the Forest Peoples Programme, described the sentences as a "decisive step towards justice," asserting that impunity for such killings "is not inevitable."
Prosecutors argued that Inuma was targeted due to his efforts to halt illegal logging on his community's land. They accused Villalobos, whom Inuma had previously denounced for illegal logging activities, of orchestrating the assassination and the other defendants of executing the plan.
Cristina Gavancho, a lawyer with the Legal Defense Institute, which has supported Indigenous organizations and the victim's family, called the ruling an "exemplary sentence." She indicated that the substantial prison terms could establish a significant precedent for future cases involving environmental defenders in Peru, noting that this is the first case in Peru concerning the killing of an Indigenous defender to result in such severe sentences.
The trial, which began on January 20, spanned nearly eight months. In March, judges traveled to the Amazonian city of Tarapoto for hearings where they heard testimony from Inuma's relatives, other witnesses, and a survivor of the attack.
Inuma had dedicated years to denouncing illegal logging, drug trafficking, and territorial encroachment. According to the Legal Defense Institute, between 2016 and 2023, members of his community filed 13 complaints with prosecutors regarding environmental crimes and drug trafficking.
In 2021, Peru's Justice Ministry classified Inuma as being at high risk and ordered police protection for him and his brother. Local authorities also provided protection measures against illegal logging groups. However, police later stated they were unable to conduct patrols in the remote territory due to funding limitations for boats and challenging geographical conditions, as cited in documents by the Legal Defense Institute.
Kevin Arnol Inuma, the murdered leader's son, expressed a mix of happiness and sadness upon hearing the verdict after nearly three years of waiting. "Before, there was no response from the state, so they were not afraid to kill," he told The Associated Press. "Now this sets a precedent for Indigenous peoples, a precedent for environmental defenders."
The court also ordered compensation payments: 750,000 soles (approximately $223,500) for Inuma's legal heirs and 250,000 soles (approximately $74,500) for Axeldina Barbarán Tapullima, who was wounded. These payments are contingent on the ruling becoming final, as it can be appealed within five days of the court's full written judgment.
Gavancho highlighted the significance of the ruling, not only for the prison terms but also for the recognized compensation for Inuma's family and the survivor. "I think this emblematic case can serve as a precedent for other cases involving environmental defenders in Peru," she stated.
Despite the verdict, Inuma's son conveyed that his family still feels unsafe and worries about potential future repercussions. He emphasized his father's commitment to defending the community's territory, a responsibility now passed to his family and others. He expressed hope that other families of murdered defenders would not face such prolonged waits for justice and stated, "Although they can no longer give us our family members back, we want justice for the other defenders whose cases are still going on. Now my father can rest in peace because justice has been done."