PRESS RELEASE

Nº 27/99

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter "the Commission") has learned of a report published in today’s edition of the Peruvian newspaper Expreso claiming that the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Robert K. Goldman, made statements regarding Peru at the Inter-American Press Association’s General Assembly being held in Houston, Texas. The IACHR must point out that its Chairman, Prof. Robert K. Goldman, has not been present at the IAPA’s General Assembly in Houston, nor does he plan to attend it. It is extremely irresponsible for statements to be attributed to the Commission’s Chairman when he was not even present, confirming the lack of knowledge and disinformation about the Commission and its members that exists at present. Dr. Goldman is a well-known figure and this action is therefore inexcusable.

The IAPA’s General Assembly is being attended by the Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Dr. Santiago Canton, and the IACHR’s Vice Chairman, Dr. Claudio Grossman. Neither of these gentlemen physically resembles Dr. Goldman, and they are both Spanish speakers. Neither has made any public statement on issues related to Peru or given interviews regarding that country to the Peruvian media.

The foregoing does not in any way preclude the right of the IACHR, its members, and its administrative and secretariat personnel to take legal action through the applicable channels in order to defend its reputation.

 Washington, D. C., October 18, 1999.