Lori Berenson As the parents of Lori Berenson, we would like to comment on the Taking Note editorial, "Lori Berenson in Context" [March/April 1996]. Lori was arrested on November 30, 1995 while on a bus in Lima after observing the Peruvian Congress in her capacity as a free- lance journalist. She was preparing articles on women's rights and poverty in Peru for two U.S.-based periodicals. After her arrest, she was "tried" by a secret military court and sentenced by a faceless judge. There was no opportunity to refute alleged evidence or even to know in detail what evidence there was to refute. Nor was there an opportuni- ty to cross-examine witnesses. Her lawyer was not able to advise her. There was absolutely no due process. In fact, with a 97% convic- tion rate and totally secret proceed- ings, trial by the military in Peru is tantamount to conviction. Because of the secrecy of these proceedings, the only information known about the allegations made against Lori has been "leaked" to the press by the Peruvian military. Unfortunately, your article, like many others, repeats some of these allegations as if they were the truth. In particular, Lori has denied both allegations that she met Tdpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) guerrillas in Panama and that she was involved with their organization. In fact, Lori has repeatedly stated to the police, the judges, and the U.S. consulate that she is innocent of the charges of treason and terrorism and that she was never a member of the MRTA. Lori is now serving a life sen- tence, with no chance of parole, in an Andean prison where the temper- ature indoors rarely reaches 40 degrees Fahrenheit. She lives in a 6 by 10 foot, all-concrete cell with a sliver ceiling-window. There is no heat and no running water. The food is minimal and of poor quality. She is allowed out of her cell only a half hour each day for exercise. We worry continually about her physi- cal and mental well-being under these extremely harsh conditions. Since her mail is censored, we must write to her only in Spanish, a lan- guage we do not speak. We cannot visit her for one year. After that time, we will be allowed to visit her for 20 to 30 minutes a month (at the discretion of the Comandante)-but we will see only her "shadow" behind a screen. We will never be able to see her or touch her again. Lori has never said that she wants no help in her efforts to move her case to a civilian court. She under- stands that her case, and the public- ity it generates, demonstrates to the world how Peru, by means of these secret military trials, continues to violate international standards of human rights and justice. Her lawyers are currently seeking to have the military court's decision nullified so the case can be heard in a civilian court. If this effort fails, her lawyers will file claims of human rights violations with the UN Human Rights Committee and the Inter-American Court of the Organization of American States. We greatly admire Lori for all that we know she has already accom- plished in her young life, and we are certain that the world would be a better place if there were more Lori Berensons ready to give of them- selves for the benefit of others. Rhoda and Mark Berenson New York, New York Addendum The photograph by Lori Waselchuk/ Impact Visuals on the cover of the March/April 1996 issue depicts a protest organized by the Ecuadorian indigenous movement against the Quincentenary celebrations on Oct- ober 11, 1992.
