The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

Incident

Peru strips television station owner Baruch Ivcher of his citizenship after critical reporting

PeruRSF rank: not recorded

Engraving of an empty press briefing room with a lectern and rows of chairs

In July 1997, the government of President Alberto Fujimori stripped Baruch Ivcher, the Israeli-born owner of Peru's Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2 television station, of his Peruvian citizenship, making him ineligible under Peruvian law to own the station. The Committee to Protect Journalists said it believed the action came "in direct reprisal for investigative reports of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2."123

What happened

Baruch Ivcher, who was born in Israel, was a naturalized Peruvian citizen and the majority shareholder of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2, a television station in Lima, Peru. In 1997, Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2 aired a series of investigative reports about the government of President Alberto Fujimori. In July of that year, the government stripped Ivcher of his Peruvian citizenship, which made him ineligible under Peruvian law to own a television station. The Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom organization, said it believed the action was taken "in direct reprisal for investigative reports of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2, including stories that implicated Peru's intelligence services in the wiretapping of journalists and members of the opposition." Ivcher went into exile in the United States and Israel. Control of the station passed to its minority owners, brothers Mendel and Samuel Winter, after a Peruvian court later convicted an associate of Ivcher's of fraudulently transferring shares of the company.123456

What reason was given

Stated justification

The Committee to Protect Journalists said it believed the action was taken "in direct reprisal for investigative reports of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2, including stories that implicated Peru's intelligence services in the wiretapping of journalists and members of the opposition."4

What changed for reporting

Ivcher went into exile in the United States and Israel, and majority control of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2 passed to the station's minority owners, brothers Mendel and Samuel Winter.56

Timeline

1997

July 1997
Peru strips television station owner Baruch Ivcher of his citizenship after critical reporting

Who acted

NameRole in this incidentOffice at the time
Alberto FujimorienforcedPresident of Peru

Outlets and journalists

NameKindRelation
Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2outletaffected

Sources

  1. Peru: CPJ protests arrest of former television station shareholderCommittee to Protect Journalists, 1999-06, reporting. Source record
  2. Attacks on the Press in 1999: PeruCommittee to Protect Journalists, 2000-03, reporting. Source record

Claims and evidence

Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.

  1. Ivcher, who was born in Israel and had been naturalized as a Peruvian citizen, had his citizenship revoked and, as a result, lost his right to own a television station, after Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2 aired a series of investigative reports about the government.Ivcher, an Israeli immigrant who was a naturalized Peruvian, was stripped of his citizenship and, as a result, his right to own a television station after Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2 aired a series of damaging investigative reports about the government.Attacks on the Press in 1999: Peru, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2000-03.Claim 759, checked 2026-09-26.
  2. An associate of Ivcher's, Sotelo, was alleged to have fraudulently transferred shares of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2 from Ivcher, the majority shareholder, to Ivcher's four daughters in 1997.Sotelo is alleged to have illegally transferred shares of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2 from Baruch Ivcher, the majority shareholder, to his four daughters in 1997.Peru: CPJ protests arrest of former television station shareholder, Committee to Protect Journalists, 1999-06.Claim 760, checked 2026-09-26.
  3. In July 1997, Ivcher, who was born in Israel, had his adopted Peruvian citizenship revoked and was thereby made ineligible to own a television station under Peruvian law.In July of that year, Ivcher, who was born in Israel, was stripped of his adopted Peruvian citizenship and thereby made ineligible to own a television station under Peruvian law.Peru: CPJ protests arrest of former television station shareholder, Committee to Protect Journalists, 1999-06.Claim 761, checked 2026-09-26.
  4. CPJ told President Fujimori it believed the citizenship revocation was taken in direct reprisal for Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2's investigative reports, including stories that implicated Peru's intelligence services in wiretapping journalists and members of the opposition.we believe this action was taken in direct reprisal for investigative reports of Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2, including stories that implicated Peru's intelligence services in the wiretapping of journalists and members of the opposition.Peru: CPJ protests arrest of former television station shareholder, Committee to Protect Journalists, 1999-06.Claim 762, checked 2026-09-26.
  5. Ivcher went into exile in the United States and Israel.Ivcher is now in exile in the United States and Israel.Peru: CPJ protests arrest of former television station shareholder, Committee to Protect Journalists, 1999-06.Claim 763, checked 2026-09-26.
  6. The charges against Ivcher's associate Sotelo were filed by Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2's former minority owners, brothers Mendel and Samuel Winter, who came to exercise majority control over the station.The charges against Sotelo were filed by Frecuencia Latina-Canal 2's former minority owners, the brothers Mendel and Samuel Winter, who currently exercise majority control over the station.Peru: CPJ protests arrest of former television station shareholder, Committee to Protect Journalists, 1999-06.Claim 764, checked 2026-09-26.