34 Facts About Lori Berenson

Lori Helene Berenson was born on November 13,1969 and is an American who served a 20-year prison sentence for collaboration with a guerrilla organization in Peru in 1996.

Lori Berenson was born and raised in New York City to Rhoda and Mark Lori Berenson, both college professors.

Lori Berenson dropped out of MIT in 1988 as a sophomore majoring in archeology and anthropology and continued to volunteer for CISPES.

In Peru, Lori Berenson met members of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, a group accused of committing terrorist attacks in Peru including kidnapping, bank robberies, extortion, hostage taking, and assassinations.

Lori Berenson obtained press credentials for herself and her photographer to the Congress of Peru to interview some of its members and attend sessions where she took notes and sketched a seating plan.

Lori Berenson had entered the main Congress building with Gilvonio several times during 1995 to interview members of Congress.

Lori Berenson was accused of being a leader of the MRTA, which had been officially classified as a terrorist group by the government.

Lori Berenson said that she was unaware of what was happening on the upper floors and had even moved out some months prior to her arrest.

Lori Berenson denied knowing of the presence of either the weaponry or the guerrillas, and she denied knowing that the documents she prepared would be used for terrorism.

The image of Lori Berenson defiantly shouting to the press continues to make her unpopular in Peru.

On January 11,1996, six weeks after her arrest and three days after her presentation to the media, Lori Berenson was convicted of all charges and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Lori Berenson had been arbitrarily deprived of her liberty in violation of various articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which Peru is a signatory.

Berenson's trial was in a secret military court, where her lawyer was not allowed to cross-examine witnesses or challenge evidence," and former president Carter stated directly that he was "deeply concerned that Lori Berenson has not been afforded her rights of due process by law.

Lori Berenson was sentenced to 20 years, with consideration given for time already served under her prior conviction.

Lori Berenson was third on a list of MRTA prisoners whose release was sought by the hostage-takers.

Lori Berenson's parents had a short independent film made in protest against her earlier military trial, and her story was reported on several top television news shows.

Lori Berenson's parents continued to work for her release and their website provided regular updates on Berenson's situation.

Lori Berenson spent her early years in prison at facilities high in the Andes, the first of which the Inter-American Court ruled is operated inhumanely.

On October 7,1998, Lori Berenson was moved to another prison in Socabaya.

Lori Berenson remained there until August 31,2000, when she was transferred to the women's prison of Chorrillos in Lima.

In February 2002, Lori Berenson took part in a 25-day hunger strike of "political prisoners" in an attempt to influence the government of Peru to improve prison conditions and revise its anti-terrorism laws.

In October 2003, Lori Berenson married Anibal Apari Sanchez, 40, whom she had met in 1997 when they were both incarcerated at Yanamayo prison.

From 2003 through 2008 Lori Berenson worked in and co-managed the bakery at Huacariz Prison which served the inmate population and the Cajamarca community.

In January 2009, Lori Berenson was transferred to a prison in Lima owing to a serious back problem which complicated her pregnancy.

Peru's Justice Minister Victor Garcia Toma on May 3,2010, stated that "I don't think Lori Berenson can create harm for society, but she has created anger among citizens," and recommended that the remaining five years of her sentence be commuted and that she be expelled from Peru to the US, indicating that his recommendation was based on a legal and political analysis of the circumstances.

On May 25,2010, after serving 15 years, Lori Berenson was granted a conditional release, with the judge stating that she would have to remain in Peru on parole for the remaining five years of her sentence, but would be freed from prison.

Lori Berenson's attorneys submitted documents to the court indicating that she "recognized she committed errors" by associating herself with the MRTA.

Lori Berenson was freed two days later, a release which attracted a media circus.

Lori Berenson was driven to an apartment in the upscale Miraflores area of Lima, where her new neighbors welcomed her by shouting "terrorist" at her.

Lori Berenson's parents indicated that she would separate from Apari and raise her son, Salvador, as a single mother.

Peru's state attorney for counterterrorism, Julio Galindo, appealed Lori Berenson's parole, depicting her as a calculating, unrepentant extremist who posed a continuing threat to the Peruvian public.

Lori Berenson was required to remain in Peru on supervised parole until her 20-year sentence ended in 2015, unless the sentence was commuted by the President.

Lori Berenson remained on parole until the completion of her 20-year sentence on November 29,2015, whereupon she was permitted to leave Peru permanently.

At midnight on December 2,2015, Lori Berenson left Lima on a flight to New York.