Front Line is concerned following reports of a death threat received, on 6 April 2009, by members of the Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos - APRODEH (Association for the Protection of Human Rights) and in particular Mr Francisco Soberón, director of APRODEH, Mr Carlos Rivera, Mr Ronald Gamarra and Ms Gloria Cano, human rights lawyers involved in the trial of former President Alberto Fujimori. They provided legal representation to families of victims of human rights violations committed during the presidency of Alberto Fujimori, for which he has recently been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Further Information

On 6 April 2009, at 12:48 in the afternoon, the day before the sentencing of ex-president Fujimori, APRODEH received an anonymous call from a male caller who said: "Los familiares de los terroristas, hemos estado siguiendo el trabajo de APRODEH, con lo de mañana, que los señores Soberón, Gamarra, Cano y Rivera que se den por muertos" ("The family of the terrorists, we have been following the work of APRODEH, with regard to tomorrows decision, Soberón, Gamarra, Cano and Rivera are as good as dead.") The call was made directly to the legal section of the organisation.

Gloria Cano was previously the victim of death threats on 18 December 2007 and on 20 October 2004. APRODEH had its building defaced with threatening messages. Front Line is extremely concerned for the security of the abovementioned human rights defenders and other staff members of APRODEH, and fears that these threats are an attempt to sanction their legitimate work in defence of human rights, and may form part of an ongoing campaign against human rights defenders in Peru.