Peru Supreme Court Upholds 20-Year Sentence for Lori Berenson

After months of delay, Peru's highest appeals court upheld the conviction
and 20-year sentence imposed against Lori last June 20. The five-judge
panel turned down her appeal that she was innocent of all charges and was
imprisoned solely for her beliefs. Dr. Sandoval, Lori's lawyer, had argued
that during the course of the civilian trial that commenced on August 28,
2000 there were numerous violations in fundamental due process and that no
evidence was presented nor did any witness testify that would warrant a
conviction. Dr. Sandoval said that the judges relied extensively on the
tainted evidence taken from other prisoners under duress and threats of
torture during the original 1995-6 military tribunals. Dr. Sandoval had
also pointed out that Chief Judge Ibazeta had prejudiced Lori two years
earlier but refused to recuse himself from the case and that the media, now
known to be corrupted by the discredited Fujimori-Montesinos regime, had
built up a strong negative public image of Lori that was impossible for her
to overcome and that there was never one moment where she was presumed
innocent requiring the State to prove guilt.

Press Statement by Rhoda and Mark Berenson

We are not surprised at the decision by the Peruvian Supreme Court and are
prepared to continue our efforts to bring Lori home. We remain convinced of
Lori's innocence and the decision of the Supreme Court today only indicates
that the Peruvian judiciary is still in need of reform. The anti-terrorism
laws under which Lori was convicted have been universally condemned and need
to be changed. Lori is but one of hundreds who wrongfully remain in
Peruvian prisons because of this injustice.

As to Lori's future, we remain optimistic. We believe in the strength of
the rule of law and we expect Lori to be released. First, we will call upon
President George W. Bush to right this wrong, to use his power under U.S.C.
22, Section 1732 and come to the rescue of a U.S. citizen who has been
wrongfully held in a foreign country. Second, we hope that the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American
States, which has had Lori's case under review for four years and which has
already publicly condemned the Peruvian laws under which she was tried, will
now be ready to call for Lori's release. And third, we call upon President
Alejandro Toledo to pardon Lori. She was a victim of the
Fujimori-Montesinos dictatorship that used her as a political pawn for their
personal gains. Given that Lori has already been held for more than six
years under extremely harsh conditions that have caused permanent damage to
her health, we ask him to pardon her immediately.

Website: Free Lori