(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 July 1998, the director of the asylum office of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service informed journalist Jose Arrieta that he had been granted political asylum. This news signals the end of the long road travelled by Arrieta since he was threatened and harassed in Peru in connection with his […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 July 1998, the director of the asylum office of the
United States Immigration and Naturalization Service informed journalist
Jose Arrieta that he had been granted political asylum. This news signals
the end of the long road travelled by Arrieta since he was threatened and
harassed in Peru in connection with his investigations into the Intelligence
Service. Arrieta had been prosecuted (subsequently revoked) under charges of
having pressured an ex-Intelligence Agent to implicate himself and
ex-colleagues in serious human rights violations.
**Updates alerts of 28 May, 12 February and 7 January 1998, and 17 December
1997**
It is likely that Arrieta’s family, who have continued to feel harassed in
Peru, will also travel to the United States to be reunited with the
journalist.
Background Information
Throughout his career as an investigative journalist, Arrieta has broken a
number of extremely important stories which highlighted official abuses and
corruption. As head of the investigative unit at Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2,
he reported how a former member of the intelligence service, Leonor La Rosa,
was tortured by her colleagues after she revealed a secret plan, code-named
“Bermuda”, to murder journalists and opponents of the government.
