(IPYS/IFEX) – At midday on 28 March 2005, two unidentified individuals entered the home of Marilu Gambini Lostanau, a freelance journalist based in Chimbote, northern Peru. The two individuals restrained Gambini, then proceeded to destroy and steal several documents related to an ongoing journalistic investigation. Gambini immediately reported the incident to the police. The journalist […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – At midday on 28 March 2005, two unidentified individuals entered the home of Marilu Gambini Lostanau, a freelance journalist based in Chimbote, northern Peru. The two individuals restrained Gambini, then proceeded to destroy and steal several documents related to an ongoing journalistic investigation. Gambini immediately reported the incident to the police.
The journalist told IPYS that the men took advantage of the fact that her house was being renovated and entered posing as construction workers. After finding Gambini in one of the rooms, one of the men threw her to the floor and held her by the neck, while the other searched through her files.
The attackers were interested in specific documents and forced Gambini to tell them where she kept them. The documents in question contain information regarding a drug trafficking case in which the authorities may be involved. The first article on the case was published in April 2004. Gambini has not ruled out the possibility that the attackers could be military personnel.
Since 2000, the Chimbote Subprefecture has provided Gambini with protection due to the constant threats she receives as a result of her investigations.
