2 July 2009

Alert

Mayor sues journalist for broadcasting audio recording allegedly revealing how he is paying for debts incurred during his election campaign


Incident details

Harassment

Manuel Rosas Mattos, Journalist

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English Español
(IPYS/IFEX) - The mayor of the province of Maynas, Salomón Abensur Díaz, is suing journalist Manuel Rosas Mattos, of the La Karibeña radio station. The mayor has accused Rosas Mattos of "falsification", "concealment of identity" and "acting against the public faith" after the journalist broadcast an audio recording in April 2009 in which the mayor was allegedly heard explaining how he is paying for debts incurred during his election campaign. The lawsuit was filed on 21 May in a branch of the Provincial Prosecutor's Office in Maynas, which is located in the Loreto region of northeastern Perú.

Individuals who apparently loaned money to the mayor for his campaign are mentioned in the recording, among them Herman Pezo, one of the municipality's main service suppliers who manages the collection and disposal of solid wastes.

According to the mayor, the recording is false and the voice attributed to him is not his.

The journalist refuted the mayor's accusation and told IPYS that the lawsuit against him is an attempt to silence him.

Source

Instituto Prensa y Sociedad
Sucre N° 317
Barranco, Lima
Perú
postmaster (@) ipys.org
Phone: +51 1 2474465
Fax: +51 1 2473194
 

Peru

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