(IPYS/IFEX) – On 12 September 2007, Isís Chafloque Valuis and Ingrid Casas Calderón, journalists with Panamericana Televisión’s programme “Buenos Días Chimbote”, were assaulted and threatened by municipal police officer Humberto Venegas Liñán, who acts as security for the Provincial Mayor’s Office in Santa, Chimbote, in northwestern Peru. The incident took place when the reporters attempted […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 12 September 2007, Isís Chafloque Valuis and Ingrid Casas Calderón, journalists with Panamericana Televisión’s programme “Buenos Días Chimbote”, were assaulted and threatened by municipal police officer Humberto Venegas Liñán, who acts as security for the Provincial Mayor’s Office in Santa, Chimbote, in northwestern Peru.
The incident took place when the reporters attempted to obtain a statement from the police officer regarding an accusation of assault filed against him by two street vendors.
When he realised the journalists were approaching him, the police officer struck Chafloque, who protected herself with her camera. The assailant then insulted Casas and threatened to kill her.
In a separate incident, on 13 September, journalist Jaime Palma Huerta, director and editor of the Radio Ancash news programme “Noticiario Ancash”, was assaulted by the public services manager of the office of the mayor of Independencia, Óscar Eliacuriaga San Martín, as the journalist broadcast his live programme. The incident took place in Huaraz, a city in northwestern Peru.
The official burst into the transmission cabin and struck the journalist, alleging that Palma had misinformed the community by broadcasting accusations of misconduct by his administration.
The journalist requested protection from the city’s government. Through other media outlets, the official apologised for his behaviour that same day.
