(IPYS/IFEX) – Jimmy Arteaga Grustein, former employee of Frecuencia Latina – Canal 2 under Baruch Ivcher’s management, informed IPYS that for the last three years both he and his wife, journalist Monica Zevallos, have been the targets of legal harassment. On at least four occasions, Arteaga was accused of a number of criminal offences, for […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – Jimmy Arteaga Grustein, former employee of Frecuencia Latina – Canal 2 under Baruch Ivcher’s management, informed IPYS that for the last three years both he and his wife, journalist Monica Zevallos, have been the targets of legal harassment. On at least four occasions, Arteaga was accused of a number of criminal offences, for allegedly acting against the interests of the Compañía Latinoamericana de Radiodifusion S.A., (Frecuencia Latina – Canal 2) company.
Arteaga, producer of the “Monica” programme, hosted by his wife Zevallos on ATV – Channel 9, notes that thus far he has been able to prove his innocence in all the cases filed against him. Nevertheless, in January 2000, the receivers of Frecuencia Latina filed a new complaint, accusing him of defrauding the company. As a result of this latest accusation, Arteaga decided to publicly denounce to the national and international public what he considers to be a “renewed attempt to malign him, and which can only be interpreted as an act of revenge by the minority shareholders because of my decision and that of my wife, Monica Zevallos, to not continue working with a television channel which was wrested away from its legitimate owner” (see IFEX alerts of 28 August, 11 February and 14 January 2000, 11 and 9 November, 8 October and 16 July 1999 and others).
The Compañía Latinoamericana de Radiodifusion S.A., currently in the hands of Frecuencia Latina minority shareholders and receivers Samuel and Mendel Winter, accuses Arteaga of having swindled the company, alleging that when he was director of programming he committed fraud by leading the legal entity into error. Presumably, his supposed aim was to gain undue economic benefits for himself, while being aware that this would result in a financial loss for the company.
The complaint was filed with the Fifteenth Criminal Provincial Court, presided by Frida Huarcaya Vásquez, and referred to the Police Division of the Office of the Public Prosecutor. A police affidavit concludes that “Jimmy Arteaga is presumed guilty of committing fraud”. Arteaga maintains that this accusation should be shelved, “as the crime of fraud has not been substantiated” and because “it has been clearly shown that a legal entity cannot be misled.” Furthermore, the complaint maintains that Arteaga had absolute powers as the director of programming, “which is absurd”, nor has anyone come forward in the investigation claiming to have been wronged or misled by him.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– asking for an end to the harassment against the journalist and his wife
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
Ing. Alberto Fujimori
President of the Republic
Fax: +51 1 427 6722 / 426 6535
Dr. Federico Salas Guevara Shultz
President of the Council of Ministers
Fax: +51 1 447 1628 / 475 0689
Dr. Edgardo Mosqueira Medina
Minister of the Presidency
Fax: +51 222 3678
Dra. Blanca Nélida Colán
Attorney General
Fax: +51 1 426 2474
Dr. Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +51 1 426 6657
Dr. Víctor Raúl Castillo Castillo
President of the Peruvian Supreme Court
Fax: +51 1 428 0803
Dr. Alberto Bustamante Belaunde
Minister of Justice
Fax: +51 1 422 3577
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
