Journalist reports physical attack and closing of programmes

(IPYS/IFEX) – In the province of Ambo, department of Huánuco, journalist Irwin Berríos Pariona, director of the news programme “Opinion”, broadcasted by Radio Uranio, has reported to IPYS that the Provincial Mayor, Walter Santa Cruz Ponce, physically attacked him. The assault took place on 14 November 1998 at City Hall while preparations for the “Miss […]

(IPYS/IFEX) – In the province of Ambo, department of Huánuco, journalist
Irwin Berríos Pariona, director of the news programme “Opinion”, broadcasted
by Radio Uranio, has reported to IPYS that the Provincial Mayor, Walter
Santa Cruz Ponce, physically attacked him. The assault took place on 14
November 1998 at City Hall while preparations for the “Miss Ambo 1998”
pageant were underway. The journalist was spokesman for a contestant in this
event supported by the National Journalists Association – Ambo (Asociacion
Nacional de Periodistas – Ambo). The mayor came, and according to Berríos
Pariona, attacked him verbally and then physically. As a result, the
journalist was forced to defend himself.

Mayor Santa Cruz immediately went to the police station and filed a
complaint against the journalist. A warrant was issued for his arrest and he
remained in jail for twenty four hours even though the district attorney
Luis Omar Palacios Zevallos had ordered his immediate release.

Berríos Pariona told IPYS that Santa Cruz’s behaviour was a reaction to the
journalist’s criticism of his administration on Ambo province’s three radio
stations. The journalist complained that he was successively denied air time
for his news programme during a local ethics campaign, due to direct
pressure from the mayor.

Last August, the journalist’s programme was suspended from Radio Ambo, owned
by Lulio Tello Salazar, because of a comment he made on the alleged misuse
of municipal dump trucks which were leased out, resulting in income not
being reported to the municipal management.

Later he moved his programme to Radio Lasser, owned by Donato Fernández,
current municipal councilor. Berríos Pariona states that in this case, the
owner was pressured to take the programme off the air because he criticised
the mayor’s biased behaviour. The mayor had allegedly suggested to voters
that they spoil their ballots in the last local election to effectively
nullify the election and allow him to remain in office for one more year.

Finally, Berríos Pariona started a news programme at Uranio Radio Activa
station which was also suspended because of comments he made regarding the
proposal to nullify the election made by the group Movimiento Independiente
Vamos Vecino. These comments followed up on what the journalist had earlier
stated on Radio Lasser and resulted in the loss of his programme.

Berríos Pariona turned to IPYS suggesting these actions threaten freedom of
expression and the free exercise of journalism as enshrined in the Peruvian
Constitution.

Recommended Action

Dra. Rosario Ramírez

Ambo Provincial Judge

Luis Omar Palacios Zevallos

Ambo Provincial Attorney
Cap. Marcos Ocaña Vásquez

Provincial Chief of the National Police of Peru, Ambo
Adolfo Lara Estrada

Sub-Prefect of Ambo

Fax: +511 64 491001
Dr. Jorge Santistevan de Noriega

Ombudsman

Fax: +511 426 6657