On the 29th anniversary of the killing of eight journalists in the community of Uchuraccay, Peru, the National Association of Journalists of Peru (ANP in Spanish) criticized a bill known as the "Mordaza Law," which they consider a restriction of press freedom in the Andean country.
In a letter to Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, the ANP declared the bill unnecessary, creates more dangers and challenges for journalists, limits information in the public interest, and grants absolute power to judges.
According to the Ecuadoran newspaper Hoy, the controversial bill "penalizes the publication of telephone calls and electronic communication." This language has caused several press organizations, including the Press and Society Institute, to say the bill threatens freedom of the press.
The journalists remembered on this gruesome anniversary were killed while investigating a massacre by the Shining Path terrorist group, reported Prensa Latina.
Peru's vice president, Marisol Espinoza, led the observance for the reporters. She said that it would be a "day for reflection and commitment to freedom of expression. The president (Ollanta Humala) reaffirms his commitment to the press," reported Revista Generaccion.
Responding to critics of the Mordaza bill, President Humala said that "his commitment to freedom of expression is strong and that he does not have time to act against the press," reported the newspaper El Comercio.
