(IFJ/IFEX) – To date, eight Radio Marañon journalists, in Jaen, Cajamarca, northeastern Peru, have received death threats as a result of having reported on human rights violations in the region. **Updates IFEX alerts of 24 March, 23 March, 22 March and 19 March 1999** According to the broadcaster’s director, Luis Tavara Martín, on the early […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – To date, eight Radio Marañon journalists, in Jaen,
Cajamarca,
northeastern Peru, have received death threats as a result of having
reported on human rights violations in the region.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 24 March, 23 March, 22 March and 19 March
1999**
According to the broadcaster’s director, Luis Tavara Martín, on the
early
morning of Friday 26 March 1999, journalist Pedro Delgado Mendoza, in
charge
of the “Canto Carioco” programme which transmits information for the
rural
population, received a type-written letter stating: “Dear Pedro Delgado,
I
tell you that very soon you will be in my hands. Very soon you will be
dead.
See you there. Goodbye.” The letter was not signed. The assailants stole
a
black and white television and a tape recorder to give the impression
that
robbery had been the motive of this attack.
The death threats began on 26 February. At that time, Ani Mejía
Rodriguez,
who manages the “En Collera” programme, received eight telephone calls,
during which she was told: “You will see what is going to happen. We are
going to kill you.” On 27 February, the same thing happened to Roxana
Robles
Ramos. On 12 March, Lesli Vasquez Ruíz was threatened. On 18 March, an
attempt was made on the life of José Luis Linares Altamirano who was
shot in
the small intestine, in the left kidney and in the hand. He is currently
recovering from his injuries.
Despite complaints made to the police, intimidations continued, and on
21
March, Italo Salazar Castillo, chief of programming for the broadcaster,
was
threatened. In the early morning of the same day, assailants broke into
Olinda Mori Díaz’s house. A bicycle was stolen from her house, but an
electric engine of greater value was left behind.
On Tuesday 30 March, members of the National Human Rights organization
(Coordinadora Nacional de Derechos Humanos) and the Legal Defense
Institute
will demand that the authorities take more effective action to safeguard
journalists’ lives and in favour of Radio Marañon operating normally.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
the
Radio Marañon journalists and employees
that
the right to freedom of the press is respected according to the law, as
befits his office
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Governmental Palace
Lima, Perú
Fax: +51 14 266 770 / 266 535Gral. Ep. José Villanueva Ruestas
Minister of the Interior
Lima, Perú
Fax: +51 12 242 407Dr. Miguel Aljovin Swayne
Attorney General
Lima, Peer
Fax: +51 14 262 474Dr. Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Lima, Perú
Fax: +51 14 227 678
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
