(IPYS/IFEX) – On 18 March 1999, at approximately 1a.m. journalist José Luis Linares Altamirano, was shot by two hooded assailants in his own home in Jaen, department of Cajamarca. Linares is part of the Radio Marañon group of journalists in Jaen, and the director of two radio programmes (one in which he reads communiqués and […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 18 March 1999, at approximately 1a.m. journalist José Luis
Linares Altamirano, was shot by two hooded assailants in his own home in
Jaen, department of Cajamarca. Linares is part of the Radio Marañon group of
journalists in Jaen, and the director of two radio programmes (one in which
he reads communiqués and a romantic one named “Punto Corazon”). At the time
of the attack he had been, together with his girlfriend and a friend,
clearing the water that had inundated his house as a result of the heavy
rains.
As Radio Marañon coordinator Roxana Robles informed IPYS, according to the
version of events related by Graciela Romero Perez, Linares’ girlfriend,
Linares had been in the living room when the assailants entered the room and
forced him to throw himself to the ground. When Romero came in, she was
grabbed by the hair and shut in the adjacent room. From there she could hear
two shots being fired. At that point, Ronald Alvarado Fernández, a friend
who had been in another room, heard what was going on and attempted to
intervene. When he tried to help Linares the assailants did not allow him
to, and furthermore proceeded to tie up the journalist with his belt. The
bullets pierced Linares’ small intestine and injured part of one of his
kidneys, as a result of which he is fighting for his life.
The same source stated that the assailants, after having completed their
attack, fled from the house, returning a few seconds later to grab a black
and white television set valued at 100 new soles (approx. US$30). Apparently
this was an attempt to give the impression that robbery had been the motive
of this attack. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the journalist
owns a stereo system valued at US$700 which was not taken away.
In an interview with IPYS, Etalo Salazar, chief of programming for Radio
Marañon, said that this attack is part of a systematic campaign against
journalists, particularly journalists working with this broadcaster, given
that three months ago they began to receive threatening telephone calls,
apparently in response to their critical stance on issues such as human
rights violations and the environment.
Various Jaen media have publicly protested the attack and have called on the
police and the interior ministry to carry out an exhaustive investigation,
so that the responsible parties can be identified and punished.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
freely carry out their reporting
Appeals To
Dr. Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Lima, Perú
Fax: +51 1 426 6657Commander Manuel Larrea Marchena
Chief, National Peruvian Police
Fax: +51 44 73 1505Dr. Jose Camus Vargas
Jaen Public Prosecutor
Fax +51 44 73 1324
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
