The Peruvian Government stipulated that minors aged 16 and 17 who commit crimes such as extortion, contract killing, or kidnapping will be held accountable for their actions, the

highlighted on Friday.

“Criminals will not evade justice!” the Executive Branch expressed via its social media channels.

Likewise, the Presidential Office emphasized that the government’s strategy to combat organized crime has shifted “from a defensive to an offensive stance.”

Thus, the measure aims to establish a clear framework of criminal responsibility in high-severity cases, while simultaneously ensuring respect for the fundamental rights of the minors involved.

In this regard, the Executive Branch emphasized that no one is above the law, referring to Supreme Decree No. 023-2025-JUS, which includes adolescents aged 16 and 17 as legally accountable within the Criminal Justice System.

According to the regulation, “any adolescent between sixteen (16) and under eighteen (18) years of age who commits the crimes indicated in numeral 2 of Article 20 of the Penal Code is subject to the jurisdiction of the ordinary criminal courts.”

¡Delincuentes no evadirán a la justicia!
El Gobierno dispuso que menores de 16 y 17 años que comentan delitos como extorsión, sicariato o secuestro respondan por sus crímenes. #DeLaDefensivaALaOfensiva pic.twitter.com/5QwSGie3Sf

— Presidencia del Perú ???? (@presidenciaperu) November 7, 2025