(IPYS/IFEX) – On 21 November 1998, journalist Johny Eduardo Pezo Tello was detained in Yurimaguas (in northern Peru, near the Amazon region) and accused of “defending terrorism” (apología de terrorismo). According to IPYS, Pezo, under threat of death, had been forced by the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru, MRTA) to read a […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 21 November 1998, journalist Johny Eduardo Pezo Tello was
detained in Yurimaguas (in northern Peru, near the Amazon region) and
accused of “defending terrorism” (apología de terrorismo). According to
IPYS, Pezo, under threat of death, had been forced by the Túpac Amaru
Revolutionary Movement (Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru, MRTA) to read
a letter on his radio programme. Accompanied by the owner of the radio
station, Pezo reported the incident to the police. Several days later, Pezo
was summoned by the National Anti-Terrorism Agency (Direccion Nacional
Contra el Terrorismo, DINCOTE), and when he came forward, on 21 November, he
was detained. The journalist is currently being prosecuted for the crime of
“defending terrorism.”
**Updates IFEX alert of 9 December 1998**
On 23 November, several journalists sent a petition to Judge Rodolfo Hugo
Zela Campos of Alto Amazonas asking for an exhaustive investigation into
Pezo’s case. They also requested he take into consideration the special
circumstances in which, as a measure to preserve his own safety and that of
his family, Pezo read the MRTA’s letter on the radio. The journalists who
sent the petition were: Hugo Zumaeta, President of the ANP-Yurimaguas; Roger
Torres, director of the programme “Punto de Accion”; Oswaldo Guerra,
director of “Al Instante Noticias”; Javier Guerra, of Radio Oriente; Yashin
Salas, of the magazine “Manguaré”; Teobaldo Meléndez, editor of the magazine
revista “Decision”; Eleodoro García, correspondent for the daily “Ahora”;
Joset Torrejon, editor of “Diario de Yurimaguas”; Roosbelth Pinedo, director
of the programme “Punto Aparte”; Ranulfo Hidalgo, correspondent for “América
TV”; Eurelio Bello, of the programme “Impacto”; Teddy Bello, organizational
secretario for the ANP; Eduardo Acate, reporter for R.O.; Luis Del Aguila,
reporter for R.O.; Fernando Paredes, of the programme “Chasqui”; Ramiro
Díaz, of the programme “Consenso”; John Percy Isuiza, of the programme
“Expresion del Pueblo”; Raimundo Utia, of the programme “Opinion Pública”;
and William Mendoza, director of the programme “Cobertura Informativa” of
television Channel 10.
On the morning of 16 December 1998, the nineteen journalists who signed the
petition were notified that they were to present themselves to the police in
order to answer to accusations of obstruction of justice, which had been
brought by Judge Rodolfo Hugo Zela (to whom the petition was sent).
IPYS denounces this serious incident against virtually all the jounalists
who are active in Yurimaguas. According to IPYS, the accusations against the
journalists are probably related to the hunger strike which they have said
they will begin on 19 December, in solidarity with Johny Pezo.
The Emergency Network for Journalists has received news of the accusations
and will underake an emergency trip into the region shortly. On 17 December,
IPYS sent a representative to Yurimaguas in order to clearly state the
organisation’s protest over the incident.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
journalists of Yurimaguas
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic of Peru
Fax: +511 426 6535Dr. Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +511 426 6657Dr. Víctor Raúl Castillo Castillo
President of the Supreme Court
Fax: +511 426 8851Dr. Rodolfo Hugo Zela Campos
Judge of the Province of Alto Amazonas
Fax: +511 94 35 2616
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
