The Peruvian Press Council presented a monthly report on freedom of expression for the month of July and highlighted several cases of attacks on journalists and media outlets. Among them are the former president of Congress, Alejandro Soto, and the Minister of the Interior, Juan José Santiváñez.
The document indicates that the legislator denounced two journalists for “defamation” and demands payment of 100 thousand soles for mentioning that “he is one of the politicians who most embarrasses Cusco” after revelations.
“Congressman and former President of Parliament, Alejandro Soto, has become one of the most hostile public officials against the press. In addition to his absurd demands for regulation and for seeing his “destiny cut short” as a result of journalists’ comments, there is also the lack of transparency and the impact on the freedom of information of Peruvians, attitudes that the Peruvian Press Council profoundly rejects.“, the report reads.
In addition, the former president of Congress prohibited the media from covering the last session of the Permanent Commission of Parliament, which limited access to crucial debates on the new comptroller general and the Board of Directors of Congress.
After leaving the Board of Directors, Soto said that he remained silent because the press “was dedicated to questioning his personal life,” despite the accusations against him.
“I decided not to air my life in the media, because there was a lot of talk that my master’s and doctoral thesis for Law had been plagiarized, but this has not been proven yet.“he told RPP.
On the other hand, for the Peruvian Press Council, the Minister of the Interior, Juan José Santiváñez, “threatened” with legal action journalists from the media outlet Hildebrandt en sus 13, such as César Hildebrandt and Ricardo Velasco, by reporting on complaints of alleged irregularities before his appointment as minister.
“The Peruvian Press Council warns that high-level public officials – and those who once were – have redoubled their threats to the press, under the passive gaze of institutions such as the Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman’s Office and the Judiciary.“, they say.
The civil association subsequently expressed its deep concern about these attitudes and pointed out that high-level public officials are redoubling their threats to the press without the appropriate intervention of institutions such as the Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman’s Office and the Judiciary.
They also highlight the importance of journalistic reports, citing the case of journalist Iván Escudero, who stopped working at Panamericana TV due to inconsistencies in a kidnapping report.
