(IPYS/IFEX) – On 18 October 2005, journalists Rolando Rodrich Sarango and Luis Fernando Bahamonde Amaya, director and editor of the Trujillo-based daily “Correo”, respectively, were sentenced to two years’ probation for defamation. The verdict was announced by Judge César Ortiz Mostacero, of the Ninth Criminal Court of La Libertad region, northwestern Peru. On 22 May, […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 18 October 2005, journalists Rolando Rodrich Sarango and Luis Fernando Bahamonde Amaya, director and editor of the Trujillo-based daily “Correo”, respectively, were sentenced to two years’ probation for defamation. The verdict was announced by Judge César Ortiz Mostacero, of the Ninth Criminal Court of La Libertad region, northwestern Peru.
On 22 May, “Correo” had reported that an individual named Jorge Benítes Vásquez had been hired to work on Chavimochic, a government project, despite the fact that he is facing a number of lawsuits. Benítes subsequently filed a defamation complaint against the two journalists.
According to the ruling, the newspaper damaged Benítes’s reputation by misrepresenting him as a criminal, when in fact he has no criminal record. The journalists argued, to no avail, that they had simply reported on the accusations and legal actions that were launched against Benítes.
In addition, 30,000 soles (US$9,000) in damages were awarded to Benítes. Sarango, Bahamonde and the newspaper’s legal representative, Hugo Gonzáles Zapata, are liable for this amount.
