(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 April 1999, a charge for defamation and insult was presented to the criminal court against Héctor Ricardo Faisal, the legal representative of the Association for the Defense of the Truth (Asociacion Pro Defensa de la Verdad, APRODEV). He is thought to have played a role in the distribution of slanderous and […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 April 1999, a charge for defamation and insult was
presented to the criminal court against Héctor Ricardo Faisal, the legal
representative of the Association for the Defense of the Truth (Asociacion
Pro Defensa de la Verdad, APRODEV). He is thought to have played a role in
the distribution of slanderous and defamatory messages against several
Peruvian journalists who are opposed to the government’s activities, via the
Internet.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 8 April 1999 and 2 December 1998**
Two denunciations have been presented to the criminal court by José Carlos
Ugaz Sánchez-Moreno, the criminal lawyer and legal advisor to IPYS. One of
this was signed by the director of the “La República” daily, Gustavo Mohme,
and journalists Angel Páez, Edmundo Cruz and Fernando Rospigliosi. The other
was signed by Luis Iberico, Cecilia Valenzuela and businessman Baruch
Ivcher, whose is legally represented by Julio Sotelo.
In a press conference, during which the denunciations were announced, IPYS’
executive director, Jorge Salazar, noted that for several months APRODEV has
been publishing numerous pages on the Internet with insults and offensive
remarks against the journalists, and against businessmen, members of
Congress and others who are critical of the current regime.
Lawyer José Ugaz maintained that in no way does this case affect freedom of
expression “because this freedom is limited by unjustified insulting
remarks.” He also noted that the APRODEV pages on which the denunciation is
based were verified by a public notary, and therefore it would do no good to
correct or remove that which has already been published in a medium that can
be opened and read in any part of Peru and the world.
The journalists who made the denunciation expressed their indignation over
the offensive descriptions that APRODEV has used to refer to them, calling
them for example “national traitors.” They said that they are willing to
take whatever action is necessary and that they have asked that the
responsible party be sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and be given a
fine of at least US$100,000, which would be donated to charitable
organisations. The journalists expressed their hope that via an independent
and proper judicial investigation it would be possible to identify other
persons who are behind APRODEV, an organisation that, according to them, was
created to malign public personalities of the opposition.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
of
slander was committed, to identify the responsible parties and to ensure
that they are punished according to Peruvian law
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Fax +51 1 426 6535Miguel Aljovín Swayne
Attorney General
Fax: +51 1 426 2474Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +51 1 426 6657
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
