12 April 2006
Alert
Judge rescinds arrest orders for mayor and municipal councillor in radio presenter's murder
Incident details
Alberto Rivera Fernández journalist(s) killed"We are really shocked by judge Eleana Tuesta's decision, which seems to ignore the serious charges against these two men," the press freedom organisation said. "Furthermore, her order came after they had already fled, behaving as if they were guilty. So there is reason to question the integrity of this court at a point when the proceedings were close to concluding."
RSF added: "Why was the case suddenly transferred from one judge to another? Are the suspected instigators of Rivera's murder being protected just because they are elected officials? Do the judicial authorities think they have done enough in this case just by bringing the hit men to justice?"
Valdez and Ramírez were simply required to report regularly to the authorities until 3 April 2006, when judge Edgar Padilla Vásquez of the fourth Pucallpa criminal court ordered their arrest because of a claim by Lito Fasabi Pizango, known as "Chino Lito", that they paid him to murder Rivera.
Tuesta, who is assigned to the same court, rescinded the arrest order four days later on the grounds of a procedural irregularity. Meanwhile, Valdez and Ramírez have become fugitives from justice. The local police said they have not been able to locate them, although it seems that Valdez checked into a Pucallpa clinic.
On 7 February, five people were convicted of being intermediaries or perpetrators of Rivera's murder and were given sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years in prison.
Source:
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
@rsf_rwb
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