(IFJ/IFEX) – Seven journalists and two radio and television broadcasters working in Huaráz have been threatened for having reported on the negative aspects of provincial mayor Waldo Rios Salcedo’s management of municipal affairs. **Updates IFEX alert of 11 February 1999** The intimidation has worsened since 9 March 1999 and is being directed against Carlos Miranda […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – Seven journalists and two radio and television broadcasters
working in Huaráz have been threatened for having reported on the
negative
aspects of provincial mayor Waldo Rios Salcedo’s management of municipal
affairs.
**Updates IFEX alert of 11 February 1999**
The intimidation has worsened since 9 March 1999 and is being directed
against Carlos Miranda Arroyo, Robin Hood Ipanaque Hidalgo and María
Portuguez Cuya, of Radio Vision Alegría, and Hernando Vega Pacahuala, of
Radio Ancash. These reporters have been publicly attacked by the Huaráz
mayor, and he has urged them to leave the capital of the department of
Ancash, as they are not from the area.
Similarly harassed are Marco Cermeno Dextre, manager of the “Prensa
Regional” daily newspaper, Agnes Osorio, announcer with Radio Ancash,
and
Hugo Gonzales Henostroza, of Radio Vision Alegria. They have been called
“enemies of the people” by the mayor, for having expressed the need for
him,
as head of the municipality, to fulfill his electoral promises.
These attacks have also been directed at Armando Moreno Romero, general
manager of Radio Ancash, Canal 2 AMR TV and “Prensa Regional”, and Justo
Bulnes García, Radio Vision Alegría manager. They were also threatened
by
the mayor for having allowed the journalists to freely express their
opinions.
These threats are further to attacks that occurred in February, when the
mayor had again demonstrated his intolerance for journalists who
question
his management of municipal affairs. He had then gone to the extent of
giving Radio Vision Alegría seven days to stop reporting in their
characteristic independent style. At that time, Peru’s National
Association
of Journalists (Asociacion Nacional de Periodistas del Peru, ANP)
informed
the Ombudsman and the Attorney General of these occurrences.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
to the
threats against journalists in Huaráz
the
right of journalists to exercise their profession, be respected
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Government Palace
Lima, Peru
Fax: +51 14 266 770 / 266 535Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Lima, Peru
Fax: +51 14 267 800Miguel Aljovin Swayne
Attorney General
Lima, Peru
Fax: + 51 14 262 474
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
