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Peru Government Defends Plan to Criminalize Disclosure of ‘Reserved’ Case Information as Press Groups Warn of Threat to Reporting

The draft remains under evaluation with a pledge to consult media before any decree.

Overview

  • Point 3.1.5 of the Executive’s request seeks to add a Penal Code offense for revealing reserved information from criminal investigations and police actions.
  • Interim President José Jerí says the proposal targets leaks that could compromise operations and insists it is not intended to restrict journalism.
  • Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez rejects the notion of a “gag law,” arguing the change would penalize alerts or filtrations that benefit suspects.
  • The CPP and ANP warn the wording is overly broad, could be used against reporters and their sources, and urge explicit safeguards to exclude journalistic disclosures in the public interest.
  • CPP director Rodrigo Salazar cautions the measure could serve as a protective shield for the PNP, while journalist Juliana Oxenford calls it an attack in a context that includes earlier restrictive initiatives such as Law No. 32301.