(IPYS/IFEX) – On 20 February 2007, the warden of the El Milagro prison, José Cabanillas Noriega, threatened to kill Karla Gómez Otoya, a reporter with the newspaper “Correo de Trujillo”. He also punched her in the face. The incident took place in the city of Trujillo in northwestern Peru. The assault took place when the […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 20 February 2007, the warden of the El Milagro prison, José Cabanillas Noriega, threatened to kill Karla Gómez Otoya, a reporter with the newspaper “Correo de Trujillo”. He also punched her in the face. The incident took place in the city of Trujillo in northwestern Peru.
The assault took place when the journalist went for dinner to a restaurant where, by coincidence, Cabanillas was having a drink with the prison’s sub-warden and administrator, among other people. According to Gómez, the official recognised her and invited her to sit with them on condition that she would just listen to their conversation without revealing that she was a journalist.
Gómez stated to IPYS that during the conversation reference was made to the bribes that Cabanillas allegedly receives from the prison’s caterers and as a result of the close relationship between the warden and the prisoners, and the agreements he reaches with them in order to sell drugs and alcohol inside the prison.
When the conversation ended, the journalist informed Cabanillas that she would publish what she had heard. He hit her in the face and warned her that he would kill her if she published anything. He then fled in a car.
Gómez filed an accusation at the police station; she has already been granted protection from the municipal government.
IPYS condemns all such assaults and requests that the authorities punish the person responsible.
