(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 December 2006, several reporters were assaulted by local residents in the town of San Julián, in Santa Cruz region in eastern Peru, while they were covering a confrontation between supporters and critics of the Santa Cruz regional government over the public consultation meeting held by the government to propose Santa Cruz’s […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 December 2006, several reporters were assaulted by local residents in the town of San Julián, in Santa Cruz region in eastern Peru, while they were covering a confrontation between supporters and critics of the Santa Cruz regional government over the public consultation meeting held by the government to propose Santa Cruz’s independence. Assaults were also perpetrated on 12 December when pro-secession demonstrators in the same region beat several journalists for being critical of the proposal (see IFEX alerts of 18 and 15 December 2006).
The local residents stoned photographers Max Toranzos, from “El Deber” newspaper, and Wilson Gallardo, from “El Nuevo Día” newspaper, and punched Megavisión television station journalist José Luis Ledesma and Full TV television station journalist Juan Carlos Vaca in their faces.
In addition, the local residents beat with sticks and injured Megavisión cameraman José Luis Herrera and Red ATB television station cameraman Silvio Aráoz. They also hit Álex Sotez, from Canal 11 television station, and Hilton Coca, from Red Uno television station, in the face. Ignacio Román, from Full TV, sustained a cut on his eyebrow. No serious injuries were reported.
In a separate incident, also on 15 December, in Cochabamba, a city in the central area of the country, police assaulted “La Razón” newspaper reporters Iván Canelas and Fernando Cartagena while they were covering a protest by supporters of the country’s ruling party, Movimiento Al Socialismo.
On 16 December, reporters marched in the main plaza of the city of Santa Cruz, the capital of the department of the same name, to demand that the authorities investigate the incidents there and punish those responsible.
