Kidnapped radio journalist freed after three days
New York, December 30, 2004—Peruvian radio journalist Duber Maruiola Labán was released this morning, three days after being kidnapped by a group of peasants who accused him of promoting the interests of a local mining company, local police told the Committee to Protect Journalists. More than 50 members of a peasant group kidnapped Mauriola at…
Provincial radio journalist kidnapped by peasants
New York, December 29, 2004—A stick-wielding group of peasants kidnapped Peruvian radio journalist Duber Mauriola Labán on Monday, accusing him of promoting the interests of a local mining company. Police were trying to rescue the journalist, who was still being held today by kidnappers in a remote village. According to local press reports, more than…
Journalist killed by unidentified gunman
New York, April 23, 2004—An unidentified gunman killed Alberto Rivera Fernández, a host of a radio show and a political activist, in Peru’s eastern Ucayali Department, on Wednesday, April 21. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is investigating whether the murder was related to Rivera’s journalistic work. Rivera, 54, hosted the morning show “Transparencia” (Transparency),…
CPJ condemns murder of journalistGroup is concerned that local authorities might be responsible
Dear Mrs. Calderón: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the murder of Peruvian journalist Antonio de la Torre Echeandía, who was killed after leaving a party on February 14, 2004, in the city of Yungay, in northern Ancash Department. Based on recent developments in the case, we are concerned Yungay authorities may have been…
Attacks on the Press 2002: Americas Analysis
Economic and political turmoil throughout Latin America in 2002 had profound implications for the region’s press. Sharp decreases in advertising revenue bankrupted many media outlets, while the failure to consolidate democratic reforms left the media vulnerable to legal and physical assault. Five journalists were killed in Latin America in 2002 for their work.
Attacks on the Press 2002: Peru
The Peruvian press continues to recover from the authoritarian and corrupt rule of Alberto K. Fujimori, who was Peru’s president from 1990 until 2000, when a scandal forced him to resign and flee the country. During the last years of his regime, Fujimori managed to control much of the news agenda with the complicity of…
Attacks on the Press 2002: United States
The U.S. government took aggressive measures in 2002 to shield some of its activities from press scrutiny. These steps not only reduced access for U.S. reporters but had a global ripple effect, with autocratic leaders citing U.S. government actions to justify repressive policies.