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Alert

Regional government manager accuses journalists of falsifying documents

(IPYS/IFEX) - On 21 August 2009, Germán Estela Castro, the manager of the Cajamarca Regional Government, accused journalists Jorge Cabanillas and Freddy Chancafe, editors of the "El Clarín" newspaper and the "Sin Rodeos" magazine respectively, of falsifying documents.

On 28 July, both media outlets published copies of invoices issued by the Business Track security company which, according to the journalists' investigations, had been paid to tap the telephones and intercept the e-mails of political leaders that oppose the current regional government's administration, as well as of several members of congress.

The journalists told IPYS that Estela's accusation has no basis since he has not been able to prove that the published documents are false. Chancafe added that he had access to photographs of the company's original invoices issued to the regional government.

Chancafe and Cabanillas expressed disappointment over the accusation against them and requested that the Public Prosecutor's Office investigate the complaints about interception of communications instead of investigating them.

The journalists were summoned to make a statement at the prosecutor's office on 1 September, but, since they were unable to attend, the date has been rescheduled for 10 September.