(IPYS/IFEX) – On 4 February 2005, the Madre de Dios Superior Tribunal, in southeastern Peru, rejected an appeal filed by journalist Luis Aguirre Pastor’s defence and upheld a sentence that bans the journalist from practicing his profession for one year. Aguirre, director and host of the radio news programme “La Voz de Madre de Dios”, […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 4 February 2005, the Madre de Dios Superior Tribunal, in southeastern Peru, rejected an appeal filed by journalist Luis Aguirre Pastor’s defence and upheld a sentence that bans the journalist from practicing his profession for one year. Aguirre, director and host of the radio news programme “La Voz de Madre de Dios”, was indicted for defamation in 2003.
On 18 February, the journalist’s attorney, Raúl Solorio, appealed the ruling. Solorio explained that the case should now go for final ruling to the Superior Tribunal in the department of Cusco, which borders on Madre de Dios.
The ruling banning Aguirre from working as a journalist is based on the fact that he has no university degree and is not a member of a journalists’ association. However, there is no law in Peru which requires individuals to be members of a professional association or have a degree in order to practice journalism.
Aguirre also received a two-year prison sentence for defamation and insult in connection with statements made on his radio programme. Although the journalist has not been jailed, he is being required to pay 10,000 soles (approx. US$3,100) in damages.
A court in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, first ruled on the case on 19 September 2003.
On 26 March 2004, IPYS published an alert which discussed the lack of legal grounds for the ban on the journalist.
