Against the backdrop of three journalists killed, one jailed, others facing death threats, and two more accused of defamation, Peru celebrated Journalists' Day on Saturday, Oct. 1.
"Beatings, persecution, attempted murder and killings are the most common attacks (journalists face) in the country," reported the Press and Society Institute in its report on freedom of expression in Peru.
The Press and Society Institute recorded 79 attacks on journalists and media professionals between January and September 2011. The majority of the offenses were committed by public officials in the interior of the country, with spikes in aggression during elections, reported the newspaper La República.
