Lori Berenson Freed After 15 Years In A Peruvian Prison

U.S. activist paroled by Peru after 15 years

Franklin Briceno, Associated Press

Wednesday, May 26, 2010


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Ernesto Benavides / AFP/Getty Images
Lori Berenson was accused of aiding leftist rebels.
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(05-26) 04:00 PDT Lima, Peru --

A judge granted parole Tuesday to Lori Berenson, a 40-year-old New York activist who has spent 15 years in Peruvian prisons for aiding leftist rebels.

Judge Jessica Leon granted Berenson's request for conditional release during a hearing at the Lima prison where the American is being held. She said Berenson cannot leave Peru until her 20-year sentence for terrorist collaboration ends in November 2015.

Berenson, who gave birth to a son a year ago, nodded assent but did not speak when asked by the judge if she accepted the decision.

"I'm happy with the sentence because justice was done," said her lawyer, Anibal Apari, who is also father of Berenson's child, Salvador.

Apari said Berenson, whom he met in prison and married in 2003, would be freed within 24 hours. Their child has been living with his mother in prison since his birth in May 2009.

Apari is a former member of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, or MRTA, the now-defunct leftist band of which Berenson was convicted of helping.

The judge's decision, read by a clerk, said Berenson had "completed re-education, rehabilitation and re-socialization" and demonstrated "positive behavior."

Berenson had said in her parole request that she planned to work as a translator if released. Berenson had long denied any wrongdoing.

This article appeared on page A - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/26/MND21DKDOE.DTL#ixzz0q4sBGKQa