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Lori Berenson

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Advocate

The Resume

    (November 13, 1969- )
    Born in New York City, New York
    Former volunteer for the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
    Traveled to Peru as a journalist
    Arrested and charged with collaborating with the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA)
    Convicted by a military tribunal of treason and leadership of a terrorist organization and sentenced to life in prison (January 11, 1996)
    Retried by a civilian court, convicted of collaborating with terrorists and sentenced to 20 years in prison (June 20, 2001)
    Conviction upheld by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of the Organization of American States (November 25, 2004)
    Released on supervised parole (November 8, 2010)
    Required to remain in Peru until the end of her 20 year sentence (November 29, 2015)

Why she might be annoying:

    In addition to getting press credentials for herself, she also got them for a Bolivian photographer, and the two used their passes to attend sessions of the Peruvian Congress.
    The photographer, Nancy Gilvonio, was the wife of the MRTA's second in command.
    She and Gilvano were accused of using their access to sketch floor plans and gather information on security procedures for a MRTA plot to kidnap members of Congress.
    A residence she rented in Lima was used by MRTA as a safe house and contained an 'arsenal of weapons,' including 3,000 sticks of dynamite.
    When she was presented to the press after her arrest, she shouted 'There are no criminal terrorists in the MRTA. It's a revolutionary movement,' which alienated much of the Peruvian public.
    When the MRTA seized the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, she was on the list of MRTA prisoners they wanted freed (1996).
    She married a convicted MRTA member while in jail (2003).
    During her trial she denied knowing that her associates were MRTA members, but at her parole she admitted to knowing their MRTA status and said, 'It might not have been intentional, but the bottom line is: I did collaborate with them.'

Why she might not be annoying:

    She volunteered at soup kitchens and blood banks as a teen.
    She and Gilvano were reportedly used as human shields by the police during their assault on the MRTA safe house.
    She explained that she shouted when she appeared before the press because she had been told there were no mics so she had to speak loudly.
    She was originally convicted in a military trial where her lawyer was not allowed to cross-examine witnesses or challenge evidence.
    The Yanamayo Prison where she was first incarcerated was condemned as inhumane by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
    Shortly before her parole, Peru's Justice Minister said, 'I don't think Lori Berenson can create harm for society, but she has created anger among citizens.'
    At her parole hearing, she noted, 'I have never been a leader, nor a militant. I have never participated in acts of violence nor of bloodshed, nor have I killed anyone.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 76.92% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 14 Votes: 64.29% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 41.18% Annoying