Peru: three journalists face jail for accusing government of corruption

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has backed calls by its affiliate, the National Association of Journalists in Peru (ANP), to lift a jail threat against three journalists from the Panorama TV programme. The reporters have been accused by the Ministry of Defence of revealing national secrets during a report alleging the involvement of the authorities in a corruption case. The journalists could face up to 15 years in prison. Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary, said, “The IFJ joins its affiliate in Peru in their strong defence of the right of journalists to investigate. We demand full respect for their constitutional right not to disclose their sources and we appeal to the good sense of the head of the Ministry of Defence. Such a denunciation tarnishes the government’s reputation and threatens to send a journalist to prison for simply doing their job”. Read the full article in Spanish here.

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