(SPP/IFEX) – The following is a 6 February 2004 SPP press release: Former president launches legal action against investigative journalists The Paraguay Journalists’ Union (SPP) is concerned about a legal action filed against investigative journalists Nacha Sánchez and Mabel Rehnfeldt, of ABC Color newspaper, by former president Juan Carlos Wasmosy. Wasmosy is also seeking US$10 […]
(SPP/IFEX) – The following is a 6 February 2004 SPP press release:
Former president launches legal action against investigative journalists
The Paraguay Journalists’ Union (SPP) is concerned about a legal action filed against investigative journalists Nacha Sánchez and Mabel Rehnfeldt, of ABC Color newspaper, by former president Juan Carlos Wasmosy. Wasmosy is also seeking US$10 million in damages.
Sánchez and Rehnfeldt published a series of investigative reports on a longstanding fraudulent scheme that involves Petropar, the state-run oil company in charge of buying and distributing fuel. Contracts that have since expired registered losses of 26 million guaraníes (approx. US$4,180) annually, according to the journalists’ investigation. Under Wasmosy’s administration, concessions were made to the current contractors, some of whom are reportedly linked to Wasmosy’s cousin, José Luis Manzoni.
Following publication of the information, Wasmosy began to harass Rehnfeldt with threats of legal action, eventually lodging the complaint against her and Sánchez for “defamation and insult”.
According to the SPP, this is clearly an act of coercion and intimidation aimed at undermining the journalists’ investigation. The organisation condemns the use of such tactics to silence the press and recalls that Wasmosy filed similar complaints previously against journalists José Amarilla and Dolly Galeano, among others, for their publications.
Asunción, 6 February 2004
Miguel H. López
Secretary-General
