(IPYS/IFEX) – The director of the “Referéndum” daily, Fernando Viaña Villa, and the daily’s editor-in-chief, Luis Iberico Núñez, are facing charges for having insulted and defamed another party in their journalistic reports. The case brought against them by José Gabriel Somocurcio Vílchez was authorised to proceed by Judge Carmen Escalante Salazar, who presides over the […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – The director of the “Referéndum” daily, Fernando Viaña Villa,
and the daily’s editor-in-chief, Luis Iberico Núñez, are facing charges for
having insulted and defamed another party in their journalistic reports. The
case brought against them by José Gabriel Somocurcio Vílchez was authorised
to proceed by Judge Carmen Escalante Salazar, who presides over the Fifth
Lima Criminal Court, despite the fact that the limitation period for
initiating an action had expired.
The case refers to a series of reports broadcast on the Frecuencia Latina
television station between 8 and 12 August 1996. At the time, Viaña was the
channel’s news director and Iberico was in charge of the “Diálogo”
programme.
The reports, which were distributed on the “Diálogo” programme, accused
surgeon Somocurcio of having implanted an experimental cardiac prosthesis
which was contaminated and infected with fungi. Allegedly, this occurred
during a surgical intervention that had not been authorised by the patient
and resulted in the patient’s death.
Strangely, Somocurcio did not bring charges against the journalists until 26
July 1999, almost three years after the reports had been broadcast. On 16
August, Judge Escalante authorised the case to proceed after the limitation
period had expired.
Viaña and Iberico are known for their open opposition to Alberto Fujimori’s
regime. They resigned from Frecuencia Latina after control of the station
was taken away from its majority shareholder, Baruch Ivcher. Ivcher had
reported on human rights violations allegedly committed by the Armed
Forces. Since that time, Iberico directed the programme that investigated
and reported on these crimes.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
be strictly adhered to
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Fax: +51 1 427 6722 / 426 6535Miguel Aljovín Swayne
Attorney General
Fax: +51 1 426 2474Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +51 1 426 6657Víctor Raúl Castillo Castillo
President of the Peruvian Supreme Court
Fax: +51 1 428 0803Martha Hildebrandt Pérez
President of Congress
Fax: +51 1 426 8290Carmen Escalante Salazar
Judge of the Fifth Lima Criminal Court
Fax: +51 1 428 3690, extension 2144
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
