(IPYS/IFEX) – Hugo Meza Layza, a journalist in Coishco, near the city of Chimbote, (district of Ancash, in northern Peru), has informed IPYS that he has been the victim of harassment and threats made by Captain Wilmer Vásquez Delgado of the Peruvian National Police. Meza has been compiling a report dealing with an alleged connection […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – Hugo Meza Layza, a journalist in Coishco, near the city of
Chimbote, (district of Ancash, in northern Peru), has informed IPYS that he
has been the victim of harassment and threats made by Captain Wilmer Vásquez
Delgado of the Peruvian National Police. Meza has been compiling a report
dealing with an alleged connection between Vásquez and a dangerous group of
bandits, as well as certain irregularities Vásquez committed while in the
course of his official work as a police officer.
Meza is an amateur freelance investigative journalist. His reports generally
appear on “Diálogo”, a well-known investigative programme on Frecuencia
Latina -Canal 2. Meza is not, however, an employee of the television
station. The reports Meza supplies for “Diálogo” are negotiated directly
with the programme’s director, Obed Matías. In a telephone interview with
IPYS, Matías confirmed that he receives reports directly from Meza and all
financial arrangements occur without going through the programme or the
station.
Once Vásquez became the subject of Meza’s investigation he began a campaign
to undermine the journalist’s credibility. His first move was to speak with
one of the press directors at Canal 2 to see if Meza had any type of labour
agreement with them; the response to his inquiry was a fax denying that Meza
was a member of the channel’s press team. Vásquez used that fax to get
Javier Arroyo Veregel, deputy mayor for the district of Coishco, to bring
extortion charges against Meza; and Nelson Ayala Muñoz, governor of the
district of Moro, has charged him with false representation. Meza has been
accused of having extorted town officials by presenting himself as a
journalist from the programme “Contrapunto” and as a correspondent for
Frecuencia Latina, demanding that they hand over certain proof that
implicated the former municipal administration of Coishco. Meza denies that
this took place and affirms that he received the evidence he has from the
current mayor, Manuel Aldave Boys. He also denies the charge of false
representation, stating that it is to his credit that “he is not a licensed
journalist” and yet he is working as one.
These charges, which were brought before the Third Office of the Criminal
Public Prosecutor in Chimbote, were supported by evidence of business cards,
allegedly given by Meza to his accusers, which list his name, telephone
number and the logo of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2. Meza has said that he
never gave out such business cards, not did he order to have them made.
The campaign extends beyond the criminal charges. Meza stated that he
received threatening phone calls at his house, with messages like “you will
die like a bum.” Furthermore, besides threatening, insulting and
intimidating Meza, Vásquez is also warning people who talk to Meza to “be
careful about talking to him because it could cause problems for you.”
Meza is afraid that at any moment he will be mixed up in more criminal
matters that would implicate him even more. Police officers from the same
police station in Coishco (they have chosen to remain anonymous for fear of
reprisals) told Meza to be very careful with what he does or where he goes
because Vásquez wants to see him imprisoned or simply eliminate him before
the results of his investigation are made public. Other journalists have
also warned Meza that Vásquez is prepared to exact vengeance by setting him
up or fabricating any charge which would land him in prison.
Augusto Riera, an IPYS correspondent in Coishco, has confirmed the above
information and, together with other journalists, is investigating this case
with a view to establishing Vásquez’s responsibility in the campaign to
intimidate Meza, and his culpability in any irregularities.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
freely
Meza, and an investigation into the alleged irregularities Captain Vásquez
is involved in
Appeals To
Alberto Fujimori Fujimori
President of the Republic
Fax: +51 1 427 6722 / 426 6535Jorge Santistevan de Noriega
Ombudsman
Fax: +51 1 426 6657José Villanueva Ruesta
Minister of the Interior
Fax: +51 1 224 2405Lieutenant General Fernando Dianderas Otonne
General Director of the Peruvian National Police
Fax: +51 1 225 1775General Luis Enrique Meza Málaga
Regional Chief of the Peruvian National Police – Region of Ancash
Fax: +51 44 72 2920Colonel Carlos Leon Romero
Regional Chief of the Peruvian National Police – subregion of Chimbote
Fax: +51 44 32 2861Jorge Vásquez Paulo
Official of the Third Office of the Chimbote Criminal Public Prosecutor
Fax: +51 44 32 2357
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
