Dutch murder convict Joran van der Sloot says he's being threatened in Peru prison

Friday, 21 August 2026 - 12:50

Joran van der Sloot, convicted of murder and drug trafficking, has requested a transfer to another prison in Peru, reported the Peruvian news channels America TV and Canal N. According to Van der Sloot, he is being threatened with death by fellow inmates at the institution where he is currently incarcerated.

“I am the victim of psychological torture almost daily,” Van der Sloot wrote in the petition seen by Peruvian media. “They threaten me with death, and that is affecting my mental health. And they threaten not only me, but also my family.”

Van der Sloot is serving 28 years in prison in Peru for the murder of student Stephany Flores and another 18 years for drug trafficking.

He is currently incarcerated in Challapalca prison, in the far south of Peru. The prison is notorious for its poor conditions. The institution is located at an altitude of 4,600 meters, causing it to get particularly cold at night. It is also very difficult for visitors to reach. Peru’s most dangerous criminals are held there.

In December last year, Van der Sloot was found seriously injured in his cell. The newspaper La Repubblica reported at the time that he had attempted to take his own life.

Van der Sloot says that the prison administration has already agreed to the transfer, but a judge still needs to approve it. It is not known when the courts will consider his request.

The 39-year-old Dutchman also received a 20-year prison sentence in the United States. He admitted in 2023 that he had killed American Natalee Holloway, but was not convicted of murder. He confessed in exchange for a reduced sentence and was convicted only of extorting her parents.