(IPYS/IFEX) – On 29 March 2006, the second hearing took place of a legal action against journalist Mireya Zurita, editor of the Aragua state newspaper “El Siglo”. Deputy police inspector Terry Rojas, of the Institute for Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas, CICPC) of the central region, accused the […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 29 March 2006, the second hearing took place of a legal action against journalist Mireya Zurita, editor of the Aragua state newspaper “El Siglo”. Deputy police inspector Terry Rojas, of the Institute for Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas, CICPC) of the central region, accused the journalist of defamation because of a paid advertisement published in “El Siglo” on 23 July 2003. The action was filed in September of that same year.
The paid announcement implicated Rojas directly in the alleged theft of drugs being held by the CICPC. The notice was produced and paid for by 14 staff members of the institute; they asked Zurita to keep their identities secret as they feared being dismissed from their jobs. Rojas is demanding that the journalist reveal the names of his accusers.
Zurita pointed out to IPYS that as she did not write the text, the legal action against her is not warranted. She stated that during the first hearing – which took place on 22 March 2006, nearly three years after the suit was filed – the accuser requested the maximum penalty of 30 months in prison and a fine of US$700 to US$1400.
