(IPYS/IFEX) – Congressman Miguel Ciccia Vasquez brought a lawsuit at the 4th Civil Court in Lima against the daily newspaper “El Correo de Piura”, requesting compensation of two million soles (approx. US$640,400) and demanding rectification and a public correction of journalistic statements and information, claiming injury to his honour and reputation. Ciccia Vasquezâs lawsuit is […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – Congressman Miguel Ciccia Vasquez brought a lawsuit at the 4th
Civil Court in Lima against the daily newspaper “El Correo de Piura”,
requesting compensation of two million soles (approx. US$640,400) and
demanding rectification and a public correction of journalistic statements
and information, claiming injury to his honour and reputation.
Ciccia Vasquezâs lawsuit is based on a congresswomanâs statements published
in the 30 August 1998 edition of “El Correo de Piura”. In these statements,
congresswoman Maria Ofelia Cerro criticised Cicciaâs political behaviour;
her opinions were published by the daily.
IPYS met with Rolando Rodrich, director of the daily, who expressed his
discontent with regard to the suit, since, as he said, the newspaper had
limited itself to reproducing and reporting what the congresswoman had
stated. Therefore, he maintained that he was not liable for the contents of
the published statements. Moreover, Rodrich declared that congressman Ciccia
had never requested rectification or a clarification from the daily.
IPYS considers that any citizen has the right to turn to the courts when
they feel they are the target of untruthful information or that a medium is
unlawfully affecting their honour and reputation. However, accusations are
not admissible when they are designed to hold a media outlet responsible for
statements made by public figures.
If the courts accepted such accusations it would set a serious precedent, as
media could become the target of numerous lawsuits due to public statements
they report.
