(IFJ/IFEX) – Peruvian Ombudsman Jorge Santistevan de Noriega made a statement about press freedom during his participation in an international forum on Press, Power and Politics, organised by Channel N, IPYS and The Freedom Forum. He noted that unlike the past, when restrictions to press freedom were explicit and involved obvious mechanisms such as media […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – Peruvian Ombudsman Jorge Santistevan de Noriega made a statement about press freedom during his participation in an international forum on Press, Power and Politics, organised by Channel N, IPYS and The Freedom Forum. He noted that unlike the past, when restrictions to press freedom were explicit and involved obvious mechanisms such as media confiscation, censorship, imprisonment and deportation, these days new and subtle mechanisms are being used to suppress this right.
During the forum, other panelists pointed out that the pressure is currently exerted through the justice system and the Public Prosecutorâs Office, “by way of continuous harassment of journalists and by taking advantage of the economic weaknesses of the industry”. They also confirmed that censorship has been substituted with threats about what will happen if certain information is made public.
The ombudsman explained that the economic instability faced by much of the media has become a factor which puts the preservation of press freedom at risk. He also emphasised that government advertising in the media has gone from 30 per cent in 1997 to 69 per cent in 1999.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the ombudsman:
- encouraging him to continue defending freedom of the press
Appeals To
Dr. Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Ombudsmanâs Office
Fax: +51 14 267 800
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
