News from Lori's Parents
21 May 1997
In this update:Rally for Lori
A rally in support of due process and justice for Lori Berenson was held Sunday, May 18th, outside Nickerson Field in Boston where Peruvian President Alberto K. Fujimori was attending the graduation of his daughter Keiko Sofia from Boston University.
The rally received page one coverage in the Boston Globe with photos. In addition, every major Peruvian newspaper as well several U.S. papers covered the rally (see Lori's Web site for more details).
The following was part of our Press Release:
"We wish to congratulate Keiko Sofia Fujimori and all the other graduates of Boston University and wish them much success. However, we wish to remind President Fujimori of the words of another graduate of Boston University, the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, who said:
A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
And we also wish to remind President Fujimori of his own words last October:
A truly functioning democracy in Perú can only flourish with acts that express a legitimate willingness to put an end to injustice.
We ask President Fujimori to demonstrate his commitment to justice by granting Lori Berenson an open trial in a civilian court where she has the right to defend herself. If he finds he is unable to do this, we ask him to send her home -- she is innocent."
Amnesty International Alert on Peruvian Prisons
In early May Amnesty International put out an alert over President Fujimori's continued refusal to open Peruvian prisons to the International Red Cross, the Catholic Church, lawyers, and families. Visits to all political prisoners were suspended soon after the hostage crisis which commenced December 17th. AI expressed concern for prisoner treatment and well being. As of today, prisons still remain closed -- a full month since the ending of the hostage crisis. (If you wish to support Amnesty International in these efforts, there is more information on Lori's Web site).