(IPYS/IFEX) – On 17 November 1998, Javier Peláez Olortegui and Marco Villanueva Escobar, editor and publisher, respectively, of the “Diario de Chimbote” daily, received three and two-year suspended sentences by the Provisional Judge of the First Criminal Court of Chimbote, César Augusto Gutiérrez Alonso. The sentences stem from a defamation and slander suit brought by […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 17 November 1998, Javier Peláez Olortegui and Marco
Villanueva Escobar, editor and publisher, respectively, of the “Diario de
Chimbote” daily, received three and two-year suspended sentences by the
Provisional Judge of the First Criminal Court of Chimbote, César Augusto
Gutiérrez Alonso. The sentences stem from a defamation and slander suit
brought by Enmer García Carhuajulca.
The journalists regard this action as the beginning of a persecution and
harassment campaign, stemming from the steady stream of reports critical of
the justice administration in Santa province.
In his suit, García Carhuajulca states that he was the target of an alleged
attack on his honour in a report titled “Assailant is released by judge two
hours after being detained” (“Asaltante es liberado por juez dos horas
después de ser intervenido.”)
According to documents sent to IPYS by director Peláez Olortegui, all of the
published information was supplied by the police station of the Buenos Aires
district. Although the facts were circumscribed by information from an
official source, the judge claims in the sentence that “the sued party has
published false charges” and the newspaper did not published a corrective
letter “in due form”.
The journalists told IPYS that the sentence represents a disastrous
precedent for press freedom and freedom of information. The journalists
called it a grave attack on the press, since they say the case was opened
out of personal and institutional desires for reprisal against the critical
editorial stance of the paper. In another move, Judge Gutiérrez Alonso
reopened a case against Wilfredo Peláez Gularte which is over two years old.
The case had concluded last year with an acquittal. The judge reopened it on
his own, without an appeal of that last verdict having ever been filed.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
investigated and that strict guidelines of due process be respected
Appeals To
Dr. Durbín Garrote Amaya
President of the High Justice Court of Santa
Fax: +511 44 33 6412Colonel PNP Marcelino Sotelo
Chief of the Police Subregion
Fax: +511 44 32 1008Dr. Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +511 426 6657
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.