05 Dec 11 | Americas, Index Index, minipost
The newsroom of a Peruvian newspaper was attacked by a mob in the early hours of Thursday morning (1 December). The offices of El Sol de los Andes in Huancayo were attacked following a series of reports in the paper linking criminal gangs to police officers.
The mob, who caused significant damage to doors and furniture, as well as burning a banner, are believed to be relatives of the police officers named in the reports. Gino Márquez, assistant editor of the newspaper said he believed the reports were also to blame for the initial lack of intervention from the prosecutors office.
28 Jun 11 | Index Index, minipost
Radio presenter in Uganda, Philips Ogile, yesterday began a two-month community service sentence after he was convicted of privacy intrusion. In January 2007 Ogile took, and later published, a photograph of a woman stripped and searched by law enforcement officers. The woman was accused of stealing a mobile phone. Ogile was charged with three counts of indecent assault, defamation and indecently assaulting the modesty of a woman. The officer involved was charged with unlawful detention and fined 100, 000 Ugandan shillings (£25).
17 Mar 11 | Index Index, minipost
The board president of a Honduran radio station was shot in the leg on 13 March by two people who disagreed with his editorial policies. He was hospitalised but his condition has been described as “stable”. Franklin Melendez is the president of the board of community radio station La Voz de Zacate Grande, which has been targeted for supporting local peasant groups in a land dispute. It is claimed that the identity of his attackers is known, but neither the police or the judicial authorities have taken any action in response. The police asked the station “not to make a fuss”.
