(IPYS/IFEX) – On the morning of 28 January 2005, eight officers from the Scientific and Criminal Investigations Unit (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas, CICPC) raided the residence of Patricia Poleo, editor of “El Nuevo País” newspaper, in Caracas. Poleo told the media that the officers had an order to search for documents related […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On the morning of 28 January 2005, eight officers from the Scientific and Criminal Investigations Unit (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas, CICPC) raided the residence of Patricia Poleo, editor of “El Nuevo País” newspaper, in Caracas.
Poleo told the media that the officers had an order to search for documents related to her investigation into the so-called “Anderson case”. The order was issued by Prosecutor Alejandro Castillo, who was present when the raid was carried out.
Poleo has been investigating an alleged extortion network in which a number of prosecutors may be implicated. Her investigation revolves around Public Prosecutor Danilo Anderson, who was in charge of a case examining the April 2002 coup d’état until he was murdered on 18 November 2004.
Poleo explained that, even though Prosecutor Castillo had ordered the seizure of all her archives, in the end the CICPC officials took only those files connected to the “Anderson case”. According to the journalist, her sources are not identified in the seized documents. Poleo stressed that she will not reveal their names, as she has a right to keep that information confidential in accordance with Article 8 of the Practice of Journalism Law.
Two days before the raid, Judge María Teresa Gómez agreed to provide protection for Poleo and a group of other journalists. In July 2004, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights renewed a recommendation for the adoption of preventive measures, originally issued in May 2002, after threats were directed against the journalists.
