PEN International is deeply disappointed that the Ecuadoran Supreme Court decided, during the early hours of February 16, 2012, to uphold the draconian criminal libel sentences handed down to the publishers and former editor of the daily newspaper El Universo. The publishers, Carlos Eduardo Pérez Barriga, César Enrique Pérez Barriga, Carlos Nicolás Pérez Enrique, and former editor Emilio Palacio, each face three years in prison; a total of US$40million in damages will have to be paid in compensation to President Rafael Correa for offenses to his honour. There are no further options for appeal within Ecuador.

Background Information

In 2011, President Correa brought a criminal complaint against El Universo over an article that made a number of serious accusations against him. The president demanded jail sentences and large fines for those responsible. Despite the newspaper’s offer to publish a correction, on July 20, 2011, three-year prison sentences and US$40 million in fines were handed down to the article’s writer, Emilio Palacio, and to each of the newspaper publishers. All the convicted appealed, but the decision was upheld by the Supreme Court on February 16, 2012.
 
PEN has grave concerns about allegations regarding the legal process that led to the recent decision. On the same day that the Supreme Court upheld the ruling of July 20, 2011, a lower court judge responsible for this original ruling released an affidavit saying that the decision had been written for her in advance by President Correa’s lawyer. This judge also alleges that another judge was offered $750,000 to rule in President Correa’s favour.
 
This latest development is a crushing blow to those who wish to write and speak freely in Ecuador. On February 8, 2012, PEN issued a statement expressing grave concern about the state of free expression in Ecuador and calling for an end to the use of antiquated criminal libel law to silence critical voices.
 
The Supreme Court’s decision comes a week after two Ecuadoran journalists, Juan Carlos Calderón and Christian Zurita, were ordered to pay President Correa US$2 million in moral damages due to the content of their book El Gran Hermano (Big Brother). The book alleged that US$600 million in government contracts had been awarded to businesses linked to President Correa's older brother.
 
El Universo has said that it will continue to publish for as long as it can, and that it will seek international relief from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). The paper has already presented its case to the IACHR and is seeking a “precautionary injunction” that would order Ecuador to suspend execution of the sentences pending a full international review of the case by the commission and, later, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Write A Letter

  • Protesting the three-year prison sentences and US$40 million in fines imposed on El Universo columnist Emilio Palacio and the newspaper’s publishers  Carlos Eduardo Pérez Barriga, César Enrique Pérez Barriga, and Carlos Nicolás Pérez Enrique on July 20, 2011, and upheld on February 16, 2012, for allegedly libeling President Rafael Correa;
  • Calling on Ecuador to desist from executing the sentences pending a full international review of the case by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights;
  • Urging the President and government to decriminalize defamation and all other press offenses in line with Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights and the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Send Your Letter To

President
Presidente Rafael Correa
Palacio de Carondelet, García Moreno No. 10-43, entre Chile y Espejo, Quito, Ecuador
Fax: +593 2 258 0714
Messages may also be sent through the Presidency’s official web site
Salutation: Dear Mr President/ Sr. Presidente 

Justice and Human Rights Minister
Johana Pesántez Benítez
Ministra de Justicia y Derechos Humanos
Av. Amazonas No. 34-451 y Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador
Fax: +593 2 292 3804/ +593 2 246 4914
Email: [email protected]
Salutation: Dear Minister/Sr. Ministro

Please copy appeals to the diplomatic representative for Ecuador in your country if possible. 

Please check with PEN if sending appeals after March 30, 2012: ftw [at] pen.org