New York, NY — The director of the Journalism Protection Initiative at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, Joel Simon, wrote today to Peru’s Attorney General Tomás Aladino Gálvez Villegas urging him to not proceed with the threatened prosecution of leading investigative journalist and Knight Press Freedom Fellow, Gustavo Gorriti.
In his letter to Gálvez, Simon described Gorriti’s accomplishments as an investigative journalist including his reporting on a massive corruption and kick back scheme involving the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht which implicated senior Peruvian officials. Last month, a Congressional Commission formed to investigate the links between Odebrecht and the Peruvian state recommended prosecuting a number of law enforcement officials for their involvement. But it also recommended prosecuting Gorriti for alleged bribery, influence trafficking and obstruction of justice. The move was denounced by journalists and leading press freedom groups as an effort to intimidate Gorriti.
“Prosecuting Gustavo Gorriti in reprisal for his investigative journalism would represent a clear violation of press freedom and rupture with the rule of law which would spark a strong reaction from this outstanding journalist’s many admirers across the globe,” Simon wrote. “It would also classify Peru as a country where the fundamentals of civil society – liberty of expression and the kind of transparency that is required to eliminate corruption – are not respected.”
Gorriti, who is based in Lima, is currently a Knight Press Freedom Fellow, a program administered by the JPI which provides support for exceptional journalists from around the world who are facing threats and persecution.
The Knight Press Freedom Fellowship Program was established in 2025, with support from the Knight Foundation. Fellows are hosted by participating journalism institutions. Gorriti is being hosted by the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Mikhail Rubin, from Russia, is being hosted by the Stanford University; while Mohammed Mhawish, from Gaza, is currently hosted at the Newmark J-School. Another fellow, Baktygul Chynybaeva, recently completed her term as a fellow, hosted by the University of Michigan.
For more information on the Knight Press Freedom Fellowship Program click here.
The full text of the letter in support of Gustavo Gorriti is available in English and Spanish.