Peru: Prosecutor's Office Dismisses Money Laundering Charges Against Journalist Paola Ugaz
Ugaz persistently targeted with legal harassment by ultra-conservative right-wing factions, with four ongoing cases filed against her
Location: Peu, Lima
Date: October 3, 2023
The Peruvian Prosecutor's Office dismissed a complaint accusing investigative journalist Paola Ugaz of the alleged offense of "money laundering." Ugaz, alongside her colleague Pedro Salinas, investigated the physical, psychological, and sexual abuses within the religious organization Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana, which has resulted in years of legal harassment. The Coalition For Women In Journalism wholeheartedly supports the decision to dismiss the money laundering charges against Paola Ugaz and strongly urges the Prosecutor's Office to withdraw all remaining charges against the journalist promptly.
"These attacks against me are clearly retaliatory in nature and are intended to undermine my work as a journalist," investigative journalist Paola Ugaz tells CFWIJ in response to the legal harassment she has been facing.
On October 2, the Prosecutor's Office Specialized in Crimes of Corruption of Officials decided to drop the preliminary investigation against Ugaz regarding the alleged money laundering offense against the Peruvian State. As a result, all proceedings related to this matter will be dismissed.
The continuous barrage of legal actions targeting the journalist can be directly attributed to her investigations into the Ultra-Conservative Right group Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana. The investigations revealed the group's involvement in perpetrating and concealing instances of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse.
“These attacks against me are clearly retaliatory in nature and are intended to undermine my work as a journalist”
Ugaz reveals to CFWIJ that in April of 2022, General Prosecutor Patricia Benavides launched a case against her, accusing her of illegal enrichment. The case was constructed using false accusations and manipulated evidence published in state-affiliated publications like Expreso and La Abeja.
Luciano Revoredo, who has filed four complaints against Ugaz, is closely connected with the political party led by Lima's mayor, Rafael Lopez Aliaga.
Ugaz informed CFWIJ that Revoredo had utilized false information against her and presented it to the Prosecutor's office.
"Among the falsehoods presented were WhatsApp conversations in Microsoft Word and a network of people I have never seen,” Ugaz tells CFWIJ. “Luciano Revoredo, a member of the party led by Rafael López Aliaga (mayor of Lima), has sued me more than once. based on these falsehoods."
Ugaz says the case filed by the Public Ministry is built upon a series of falsehoods published in Expreso newspaper and in other media outlets such as La Razón, the Willax television channel, and the web portal La Abeja.
Currently, the journalist has an open case of illicit enrichment in the prosecutor's office and several cases awaiting review by an entity that seems unable to differentiate between silencing a journalist using false information and seeking to prosecute her legally.
Despite her public denouncement of the judicial harassment she has faced, Ugaz remains resolute in her determination to combat these baseless allegations and protect her journalistic integrity.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands firmly in solidarity with Paola Ugaz, offering our unwavering support. We commend the decision of the Prosecutor's Office to dismiss the money laundering case against her. We strongly urge for the immediate and unconditional dismissal of all remaining cases targeting Ugaz. We perceive the ongoing legal harassment against her as yet another attempt by people in positions of power to impede her investigative work and create an atmosphere of self-censorship.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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