Brother of Peru opposition leader sentenced to 25 years in prison for failed 2005 rebellion

Peru: opposition leader’s brother convicted

LIMA, Peru — A Peruvian court has sentenced the brother of opposition leader Ollanta Humala to 25 years in prison for a 2005 failed takeover of a police station that left four officers dead.

Antauro Humala, a former army major, was convicted late Wednesday of rebellion, homicide, kidnapping, illegal firearms possession and damages for the New Year’s Day uprising by 173 army reservists in Peru’s southern highlands.

The court ruled he authorized the attack. Two accomplices were sentenced to 20 and 15 years.

Ollanta Humala — a runner-up in Peru’s 2006 presidential election — was serving as a military attache in South Korea at the time of the revolt. He initially called on reservists to start a “popular insurrection,” but distanced himself from Antauro’s action after it turned deadly.

Ollanta was charged with allegedly conspiring to plan the revolt, but a court absolved him in 2008.

“This has been an irregular trial, my brother was jailed for more than four years without a ruling,” Ollanta Humala told reporters in the highland city of Cuzco.

Ollanta said Antauro’s defense may appeal the decision.

Family members of the dead police officers said Antauro’s sentence was too light — prosecutor’s requested 35 years — and lamented that Ollanta was not included in the trial.