Unidentified individuals fire a hail of bullets at journalist Santiago Benítez's house
(SPP/IFEX) – SPP expresses its concern over the attack suffered by Santiago Benítez, a journalist for Radio Murucuyá, in Pedro Juan Caballero, in the department of Amambay. The attack took place at approximately 5:15 a.m on 21 June 2009 when unidentified individuals fired a hail of bullets at Benítez’s home. The house was hit nine times and the journalist said most of the bullets were directed at a part of the building where his bedroom was previously located.
Benítez hosts a morning radio programme in which he regularly speaks about the insecurity that the population in the area faces. The manner in which the attack was carried out would appear to follow the style used by hired killers working for or with drug traffickers in the area.
The city of Pedro Juan Caballero has one of the highest levels of violent deaths in Paraguay.
SPP calls on the authorities to investigate the attack on the Benítez residence and punish those found to be responsible for it. The organisation regards the actions against Benítez as an attack on freedom of expression and an attempt to silence journalists.
