The IAPA voiced concern at a controversial decision on February 8 by a Peruvian court that acquitted the alleged mastermind behind the murder of journalist Alberto Rivera Fernández. The organization fears the decision could “encourage increased impunity in other cases” and called on Peru’s Supreme Court to overturn the acquittal on appeal.

Rivera Fernández worked at the Radio Frecuencia Oriental radio station in Pucallpa, Coronel Portillo province, 540 miles northeast of Lima, where he hosted “Transparencia” (Transparency), a program critical of the conduct of local officials. He was murdered on April 21, 2004. Charged and tried as the mastermind, Luis Valdez Villacorta, former mayor of Coronel Portillo, was acquitted.

The IAPA has followed the case closely and sent a number of missions to Pucallpa in conjunction with the Peruvian Press Council. These actions led to the 2005 drafting of the Declaration of Pucallpa and a series of reforms, requested of the three branches of the Peruvian government, to create a special jurisdiction for cases of journalists’ murder similar to that that exists in the South American country for offenses linked to drug trafficking.

IAPA President Alejandro Aguirre, managing editor of the Miami, Florida, Spanish-language newspaper Diario Las Américas, declared, “Although we are respectful of the justice system we cannot ignore this matter and sympathize with Rivera’s family. We have spoken out about the wrongdoing reported by the Peruvian press which we have confirmed and emphacized following our three missions to Peru.” He added that “we hope this court ruling does not encourage further impunity in other cases.”

The dead journalist’s family criticized the court’s dismissal on grounds of insufficient evidence the case against Valdez Villacorta. The family’s attorney is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Also acquitted was Solio Ramírez Garay, a former Coronel Portillo town official, charged with the murder.