(IPYS/IFEX) – Baruch Ivcher, who has been stripped of his Peruvian nationality by the government, announced that he will present before the Interamerican Human Rights Court (CIDH) in San Jose, Costa Rica, the testimony of a high level government official, in a trial against the government slated to begin on Thursday 18 March 1999. **For […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – Baruch Ivcher, who has been stripped of his Peruvian
nationality by the government, announced that he will present before the
Interamerican Human Rights Court (CIDH) in San Jose, Costa Rica, the
testimony of a high level government official, in a trial against the
government slated to begin on Thursday 18 March 1999.
**For background on Ivcher being stripped of his citizenship and
television
station ownership rights see IFEX alerts of 6 November and 15 July 1998,
19
September, 12 September, 29 August, 6 August, 24 July, 14 July, 3 June,
and
29 May 1997; for other cases against Ivcher see IFEX alerts of 18
February
1999, 17 December, 9 November, 4 November, 27 October, 16 September, 2
September, 18 August, 15 July and 6 July 1998**
The businessman, who did not wish to identify this official, did state
that
he is a man, who in appearances “serves President Fujimori,” but in
reality
defends Ivcher’s cause, despite the fact that, in the beginning, he was
very
tough on his case because he believed what was being said of Ivcher.
According to Ivcher, this man has authorized him to refer to him as a
“live
encyclopedia,” because as he affirms, his identity will never be made
known.
Ivcher described the official as a “real patriot” who, like many other
officials or ministers, was faced with two possibilities: resign or else
continue and fight (even from within the government) for his/her
country.
“He is such a patriotic man that, in my opinion, his name will be
remembered
positively, perhaps not now, but in the future when the history of Peru
is
written,” he explained; “I don’t believe that a person of this quality
can
be bought,” he added.
“I am going to exhibit documents that I did not want to present before,”
said Ivcher, in reference to the documentation that he is prepared to
present in the trial before the CIDH. The ongoing case is between Ivcher
and
the Peruvian government, whom Ivcher accuses of being “determined to
deprive me of my rights, my citizenship and my possessions” in order to
generally silence the press and ensure its own reelection in 2000.
The CIDH will begin to be analize the accusations this month and is
expected
to rule on the matter in May 1999. As Ivcher expressed, according to the
Peruvian Constitution, the Court’s verdict will have to be respected by
the
Fujimori government. He further added that if the San Jose Court
obligates
the government to restore to him the television station and his rights,
he
would return to Lima without any fear.
