The Human Rights Actions Network
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ACTION REQUEST
PER 001 / 9806 / OBS 044 Threats PERU June 29 1998 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your urgently intervention in connection with the following situation in Peru. Brief description of the situation : The Observatory has just been informed by the Peruvian Association for Human Rights (APRODEH, a member of the OMCT and the FIDH) that, on June 19th 1998, a message containing threats against Mr. Francisco Soberon, President of the APRODEH and Vice-President of the FIDH, appeared on the association's fax. This letter, drafted in really scurrilous language, accuses Mr. Francisco Soberon of being the accomplice of numerous terrorists and of being in contact with Mr. Salas and Mrs. Zanata, dubbed « traitors » in the letter and made the subject of degrading comments. Mr. Salas is a captain in the police and Mrs. Zanata is a secret agent. Both are, at present, refugees in the United States because of the threats directed at them. In addition to the threats contained in this letter, the language seems to indicate that Mr. Francisco Soberon is closely watched. The previous day, a letter of threats had also been sent to the editorial offices of channel 13 at the time when that TV channel was transmitting the César Hildebrandt programme ; this famous journalist read it out to the viewers during the transmission. The letter was couched in insulting language and contained threats and libel directed at several journalists including Mr. Hildebrandt himself, Mr. José Arrieta, a journalist now a refugee in Miami, who previously worked for Channel 2 and Mr. Luis Iberico, a journalist previously employed by this same station and who now works for Channel 9. Mr. Javier Diez Canseco, a deputy who is active in human rights, is also targeted in the letter. The Observatory emphatically condemns the scurrilous letters conveying threats against human rights defenders, journalists involved in the cause and a deputy, with the purpose of discouraging them from pursuing their activities in favour of fundamental liberties. Actions requested : Please write to the Peruvian authorities urging them to : i.- condemn with the utmost firmness the threats directed against persons engaged in the defence of human rights and more particularly, Mr. Francisco Soberon, Mr. César Hildebrandt, Mr. José Arrieta, Mr. Javier Diez Canseco and Mr. Luis Iberico ; ii.- adopt every necessary measure in order to guarantee the safety of the above- mentioned persons ; iii.- carry out a thorough and completely impartial investigation into the harassment directed at Mr. Francisco Soberon, Mr. César Hildebrandt, Mr. José Arrieta, Mr. Javier Diez Canseco and Mr. Luis Iberico, in order to identify and punish those responsible ; iv.- more generally, abide by the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional covenants ratified by Peru. Addresses : S.E. Ing. Alberto Fujiinori, Presidente de la República del Peffi, Palacio de Gobierno, Plaza de Armas, Lima 1, Perú. Fax (+ 511) 4266770 (o Secretaria de Prensa (+ 511) 4266353) Sr Victor Castillo Castillo, Presidente de la Corte Suprema, Poder Judicial, Palacio de Justicia Av. Paseo de la República s/n. Lima 1 - Perú. Fax : (+ 511) 433 25 55 Dr. Miguel Aljovin Swayne, Fiscal de la Nación, Ministerio Público Av. Abancay cuadra 5 s/n. Lima 1 - Perú . Dra.Blanca Nélida Colán Maguiña, Presidente de la Comisión Ejecutiva del Ministerio Público, Av. Abancay cuadra 5 s/n. Lima 1 - Perú. Gral. EP Guido Guevara, Presidente del Consejo Supremo de Justicia Militar, Av. Arequipa 3 10 Santa Beatriz - Lima, Perú . The Peruvian Embassy in your respective countries. Geneva - Paris, 29th June 1998 Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
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