(IPYS/IFEX) – The Ecuadorian Police is investigating the assassination of journalist Luis Fernando Maldonado, television host for the Telesistema station, based in Quito. Maldonado was shot on the night of Wednesday 8 August 2001 allegedly by two young individuals who were attempting to steal his automobile. Nevertheless, thus far there is no concrete information on […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – The Ecuadorian Police is investigating the assassination of journalist Luis Fernando Maldonado, television host for the Telesistema station, based in Quito.
Maldonado was shot on the night of Wednesday 8 August 2001 allegedly by two young individuals who were attempting to steal his automobile. Nevertheless, thus far there is no concrete information on the case and it is expected that a preliminary report on the Judicial Police’s investigation will be released within the next few days.
Maldonado was seriously injured by a shot to the head and died from respiratory complications arising from the heavy hemorrhage. He passed away at the Eugenio Espejo Hospital in Quito. Maldonado was a television host and appeared every night at 10:00 p.m. (local time) on Telesistema.
The Presidency’s secretary of communications, Oscar Zuloaga, told IPYS’ correspondent in Ecuador that he is expecting that the police’s reports will reveal new information on the case, but that in any case this should not put into doubt the government’s promise that freedom of expression will be upheld.
Journalist is sentenced
In an unrelated matter, journalist Malena Cardona, of the Tribuna Libre programme broadcast on the Television Manabita station, was sentenced to one month in prison and a fine of 80 sucres (former Ecuadorian currency still referred to by the Criminal Code), an amount currently equivalent to less than one half of an American cent.
The Fourth judge of the Manabí Criminal Court, Ivonne Sánchez, sentenced the journalist in accordance with Article 495 of the Criminal Code, for allegedly uttering non-slanderous insults against politician and Manabí representative Roberto Rodríguez. Rodríguez belongs to the Roldosist Party, which is led from Panama by former president and fugitive from Ecuadorian justice Abdalá Bucaram. The sentence has been appealed as, according to lawyer for the defense Luis Andrade, due process was not entirely followed.
According to the Portoviejo newspaper “El Diario”, on 30 May 2000 there was an altercation on the set of Television Manabita between the journalist and the member of parliament.
The politician accused Cardona of having invited him to be interviewed over issues of provincial interest and instead during the interview questioned him about other matters, including his alleged involvement in a racket involving the sale of an automobile that was apparently never given to a disabled individual.
The Manabí press has qualified the judge’s sentence against the journalist as excessive. Manabí journalists’ associations protested the sentence arguing that it is an attack on freedom of expression and a violation of constitutionally sanctioned rights. They plan to ask the National Judiciary Council for Judge Sánchez’s dismisal, for having perverted the course of justice by passing a prison sentence without having all the necessary evidence. While the decision is being appealed, the sentence to one month in prison and a fine of 80 sucres is suspended.
On being questioned by IPYS’ correspondent, Spokesperson for the presidency Zuloaga said that the judiciary needs to deal with this matter.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– calling for a thorough investigation into Maldonado’s assassination so that those responsible are identified and punished accordingly
– protesting the sentence against Cardona, calling for it to be repealed and demanding a re-trial that follows due process
Appeals To
Dr. Gustavo Noboa
President of the Republic
E-mail: saladeprensa@presidencia.ec-gov.net
Dr. Galo Pico Mantilla
President of the Supreme Court
E-mail: pres-csj@access.net.ec
Dr. Ramiro Larrea Santos
President of the Anti-Corruption Commission
E-mail: coatinco@ecuanex.net.ec
Dr. José Cordero
President of National Congress
E-mail: dpcn@rdyec.net
Dr. Marco Morales
President of the Constitutional Tribunal
Fax: +593 2 569 861
Dr. Juan de Dios Parra
President of the Latin American Human Rights Association (Asociacion Latinoamericana de Derechos Humanos, ALDHU)
E-mail: aldhu@ecuanex.net.ec
Dr. Julio Prado
President of Ecuador’s National Human Rights Commission
E-mail: jprado@uio.satnet.net
Monsignor José Mario Ruiz
President of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference
E-mail: confeps@uio.satnet.net
Flora Proaño de Simancas
President of the National Journalists’ Union
E-mail: simancas@hoy.net
Pedro Zambrano
President of the Ecuadorian Newspaper Publishers’ Association (Asociacion Ecuatoriana de Editores de Periodicos, AEDEP)
E-mail: pzl@eldiario.com.ec
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
