(IFJ/IFEX) – Alfredo del Carpio Linares, the journalist and director of Radio Armonía and of the programme “Verdict, the People’s Voice”, broadcast from the city of Camaná in the south of Peru, is in danger of being jailed. In addition, he may be forced to pay a fine equal to 200 working days’ salary and […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – Alfredo del Carpio Linares, the journalist and director of
Radio Armonía and of the programme “Verdict, the People’s Voice”, broadcast
from the city of Camaná in the south of Peru, is in danger of being jailed.
In addition, he may be forced to pay a fine equal to 200 working days’
salary and another 10,000 nuevos soles (approx. US$2,970) in damages
stemming from a civil suit. The penalties will take effect if, in the next
few days, the Transitory Criminal Chamber “C” of the Supreme Court confirms
the sentence that on two previous occasions has been handed down by local
judges, regarding the supposed libel in a suit launched a year ago by Mayor
Enrique Gutierrez Souza.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 15 July 1999 and 18 November 1998**
Del Carpio Linares informed the human rights section for Latin America of
the IFJ that he is the victim of a plot put in place by Mayor Gutierrez
Souza and judges from Camaná. According to the journalist, the object of
this plot is to silence him and put an end to the ongoing accusations which
have dogged the municipal administration for many years.
Furthermore, del Carpio Linares indicated that his situation has
deteriorated since 11 October 1998, when a mob of about 250 people tried to
destroy the Radio Armonía facilities. This incident has been verified by the
police and the provincial attorney, Yeffer Delgado Rodríguez. The journalist
added that this attack, which endangered his life and that of his wife and
young son, has been ruled by the judges as “an act of popular playfulness,”
thus determining how this event will be recorded and filed.
Del Carpio Linares explained that following this incident, Mayor Gutierrez
Souza filed two accusations for the alleged offence of libel on 30 November
1998 and after 12 January 1999. As a resulf of these accusations, the
journalist was given a suspended prison sentence by Judge Antonio Valdivia
García, in effect until the fine equivalent to 200 working days’ salary and
20,000 nuevos soles (approx. US$ 5,940) in damages are paid. This verdict
was upheld by the Decentralized Court, presided by Domingo Vásquez Caceres,
and the amount payable for damages was lowered to 10,000 nuevos soles.
On 24 September, the journalist filed a motion to have the sentence
annulled, via court action 3739 -99, presented to the Supreme Court’s
Transitory Criminal Chamber “C”, presided by Carlos Saponara Milligan.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the authorities:
Armonía’s studios and the actions of the mob, directed by Mayor Gutierrez
Souza, which tried to destroy the studios
and documents
presented by the journalist to the Camaná courts
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Governmental Palace
Fax: +51 14 266 770 / 266 535Victor Raul Castillo Castillo
President of the Supreme Court
Justice Palace
Fax: +51 14 268 851 /280 803Carlos Saponara Milligan
President of the Transitory Criminal Chamber “C”
Supreme Court
Fax: +51 14 275 190Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +5114 267 800 / 267 889
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
