(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 23 May 2001 Peruvian National Journalists Association (ANP) press release, and is distributed by the human rights section for Latin America of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): The Peruvian National Journalists Association (Asociacion Nacional de Periodistas del Perú, ANP) addressed Peruvian President of the Republic Valentín Paniagua Corazao […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 23 May 2001 Peruvian National Journalists Association (ANP) press release, and is distributed by the human rights section for Latin America of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ):
The Peruvian National Journalists Association (Asociacion Nacional de Periodistas del Perú, ANP) addressed Peruvian President of the Republic Valentín Paniagua Corazao and Peruvian President of the Congress Carlos Ferrero Costa, respectfully but firmly asking for their valuable intervention. The ANP requested that, within the realm of the law, they reopen the investigation of the kidnapping and disapperance of journalist Pedro Yauri Bustamente, which occurred in 1992 and was attributed to the so-called “Grupo Colina”.
The ANP reiterates their request at a time of special circumstances in Peru. As the parliament’s subcommission has been investigating former president Alberto Fujimori for crimes against humanity, they have received important information about Union Director Pedro Huillca Tecse’s assassination.
Pedro Yauri Bustamante’s disapperance occurred under very strange circumstances. He was kidnapped on 24 June by a group of uniformed persons, who violently entered his home located in Huacho’s main square, in the early hours of the morning.
On 12 April 1999, Chief Ad-hoc Public Prosecutor Julia Eguía Dávalos revealed she had received the records of Yauri’s kidnapping. Upon revising them she discovered that the public minister had not grant the case with the investigation it deserved.
Yauri was a well-known Huacho journalist, where he directed the radio programme “Punto Final” on the Radio Universal radio station in Huacho. On repeated occasions he had criticized police excesses on the air.
Seven years later the Public Prosecutor Eguía was saying that there existed suspicions that Grupo Colina paramilitary members had participated in the criminal act. For this reason she suggested, in a report submitted to the Public Ministry’s Executive Committee, that the investigation be reopened.
In her report, the public prosecutor discredited attorney Saul Montes Vega’s behaviour, proposing that another prosecutor be assigned to the investigation of the journalist’ kidnapping and disapperance. Eguía’s statements arose as a result of criticism of Vega’s perceived bias in cases of suspected involvement of the government at that time.
Due to witness testimony of the kidnapping, evidence which has still not been refuted indicates that Pedro Yauri Bustamente was detained by a group of approximately 15 persons, who were armed and dressed in hooded military commando uniforms.
Subsequently, after they hit him, they tied his hands together and covered his face. They then escaped in a mustard coloured truck. The kidnappers left a hand grenade and fifty gun cartridges in the journalist’s house, apparently trying to implicate him in terrorist activities
ANP asks that the crime not go unpunished.
Lima, 23 May 2001
Roberto Mejía Alarcon
ANP President
