(IPYS/IFEX) – Asunta Montoya, news director for Radio Santa Rosa, based in Lima, reported in a communique that was received by IPYS on 25 May 2000, that over the last few weeks, the news staff at the station have been harassed in a number of ways. According to the report, the harassment began when an […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – Asunta Montoya, news director for Radio Santa Rosa, based in Lima, reported
in a communique that was received by IPYS on 25 May 2000, that over the last few weeks, the news staff at the station have been harassed in a number of ways.
According to the report, the harassment began when an unknown individual appeared at the radio station asking for Miguel Lopez, one of the directors of the news programme. The man was very insistent and questioned various people while he took notes. When he was confronted by the news team, his only reply was that he wanted to know who Lopez was and then he quickly disappeared.
The next week, reporter Gianina Manchego was accosted, apparently by the same man, who said that he was a former member of the Intelligence Service, and asserted that he had proof about the falsification of signatures for the Independent Peru Movement, 2000. Then he began to question her about the editorial stance of the radio station, asking her if it supported Fujimori or Toledo.
Finally, on 24 May, reporter Jaime Pedroza Ruiz was assaulted by two men while he was on duty outside the International Pacific Fair (Feria Internacional del PacÃfico), where the ONPE computer centre is located. Upon leaving this site, and walking along one of the nearby streets, two people appeared in front of him. One of them covered his mouth and insulted him: “So, you are the one from the ‘soup kitchens’ (comedores populares),” making reference to one of Pedrozaâs recent reports in which he denounced the pressure and blackmail that the members of the Mothers’ Groups have been subjected to. The men hit him hard twice in the stomach and told him that they already were familiar with his work. At the same time, they told him to advise the directors of the news programme (Lopez, Juana MartÃnez, Ismael Soto and Mary Ann Lynch) that they should be careful about what they say on the programme.
Montoya confirmed that Radio Santa Rosa has filed a complaint with the police authorities, as they want it on record that the news team is being harassed and threatened. “We believe that the task of informing the public about the truth in the defence of justice and democracy in our country [â¦] does not give anyone the right to harass, assault or intimidate us in an attempt to impede our journalistic work,” she stated.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– demanding an in-depth investigation into the harassment of the journalists from Radio Santa Rosa, and requesting that their right to freely carry out their work be guaranteed
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
Ing. Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Fax: +51 1 427 6722 / 426 6535
Alberto Bustamante Belaunde
President of the Council of Ministers
Fax: +51 1 447 1628 / 475 0689
Blanca Nélida Colán Maguiño
Attorney General
Fax: +51 1 426 2474
Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +51 1 426 6657
Lieutenant General Fernando Dianderas Otonne
Director General of the Peruvian National Police
Fax: +51 1 225 1775
Gral. Div. E.P. José Villanueva Ruesta
Commander General of the Armed Forces
Fax: +51 1 436 1423 / 435 4623
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
