WHEREAS
Antonio de la Torre Echeandía, a journalist at Radio Órbita in Yungay, was murdered February 14 for reasons related to his work, and specifically for reporting on political and administrative corruption in Yungay, a city located in Ancash province
WHEREAS
even though two people have been arrested for having carried out the murder, the judiciary took only three days to rule out Yungay Mayor Amaro León y León from the investigation, even as a witness, although he was the main suspect of having masterminded the crime
WHEREAS
this murder has stunned the community and sparked popular protests demanding the mayors resignation, which already have left thirty people dead; and this situation has forced the ombudsman to step in and establish a special forum for reconciliation between residents and the authorities
WHEREAS
Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec states, Freedom of expression and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, intimidation, the unjust imprisonment of journalists, the destruction of facilities, violence of any kind and impunity for perpetrators. Such acts must be investigated promptly and punished harshly
THE MIDYEAR MEETING OF THE IAPA RESOLVES
to urge the prosecuting authority, the judiciary and the police not to limit their investigation to identifying and arresting those who carried out the murder, but that they investigate the masterminds behind the crime as well
