Woman holds a banner with the photo of President Pedro Castillo and the caption “freedom.” Photo: Kawsachun News.
Pedro Castillo is being denied his right to a phone call by Peru’s dictatorship, led by Dina Boluarte. Since the December 7 US-backed coup, Castillo has been detained without charge and without direct contact with his wife and children who are currently exiled in Mexico.
This was denounced by Castillo’s wife, Lilia Paredes, and his daughter, Yenifer Castillo, on Saturday in a joint interview with Radio 10 in Argentina. They say that it constitutes a violation of his human rights because all detainees in Peru have a right to a phone call by law.
“It’s been three months now, my father is detained is Pavilion 1 and he has no access to a pay phone. Meanwhile, Alberto Fujimori (ex-dictator) is in Pavilion 2 and has access to a phone 24 hours a day (..) My father is being mistreated. We are democratic, we believe that rights are equal, but now they are not. This is what bothers me, there are differences in treatment between one and the other,” said Yenifer.
Peru’s De Facto Vice Minister of Health Chased from Restaurant
His wife Lilia was also being persecuted by the right-wing regime that seized power after Castillo was ousted. In response, the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced that Lilia and her children would be given political asylum in his country. Although she is now safe, she cannot contact her husband.
“It is an injustice and I am sadder every day. We’re hoping that international justice can help. He is a political prisoner, he did not commit any crime,” commented Lilia.
After the coup against his government in December 2022, Castillo was given 18 months ‘preventive detention’ and is being held without charge. The preventative detention has now been extended for another three years, still without any charges. The right-wing regime that took power following his ouster has killed dozens of protesters who were calling for the return of Castillo’s elected government.
