Inquiry into Peruvian deaths demanded

LIMA, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- The deaths of Peruvian protesters as well as police must be addressed as part of an investigation of a deadly June incident, human rights advocates say.

Amnesty International demanded in a statement Wednesday that authorities looking into the deaths of 23 police officers in a clash near Bagua in northern Peru expand their probe to include determining how 10 indigenous and local people also died.

"Measures must be taken to bring all the alleged perpetrators of these serious abuses to justice and provide reparation to all the victims", said Guadalupe Marengo, Deputy Americas Director at Amnesty International.

The group said more than 200 people were injured June 5 when police moved in to end a 50-day blockade of a road by thousands of indigenous people protesting legislation they claimed posed a threat to their livelihood.

Marengo claimed that six months after the Bagua incident, police suspected of involvement in the deaths and injuries of protesters have not been charged, while protesters have been detained and charged in connection with the deaths of the police.