12 January 2005
IPYS RAISES CONCERNS FOR PRESS FREEDOM
In Peru, the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS) says there is cause for concern over the state of press freedom in the country. In the last 12 months, the IFEX member has reported more than twice as many violations than it did in 2003.
"In spite of having a democratically elected government [and] an access to information law, the numbers show that IPYS issued 73 alerts in 2004, more than double the 30 issued in 2003," the organisation says.
IPYS also recorded at least 89 journalists who were the targets of attacks, and two journalists killed in connection with their work in 2004. In 2002 and 2003, no journalists were recorded killed in the line of duty.
IPYS says the highest percentage of press freedom violations (physical assaults, death threats, legal actions) occurred in the capital, Lima (28 per cent). In contrast, more than 50 per cent of the alerts IPYS issued in 2003 reported on attacks on journalists in the provinces.
Radio stations and radio journalists, especially those outside Lima, bore the brunt of attacks (29 alerts issued). In cases where the attacker was identifiable, local government officials were shown to be the main culprits, says IPYS.
IPYS' complete report is available (in Spanish only) here:
http://www.ipys.org/info_peru.shtmlFor reports on Peru by other IFEX members, visit:
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/archivereports/137/