British mining company Monterrico Metals has reached an out-of-court settlement with 33 Peruvian farmers who accused the company of colluding in their detention and torture by Peruvian police, while refusing to admit liability. Catholic aid agency CAFOD and campaigners from the Peru Support Group have been working with Peruvian NGOs supporting the farmers since the events at Rio Blanco came to light in 2005...As part of the out-of-court settlement, the mining company has imposed a gagging order on the amount of the compensation payouts, which applies both to the farmers and to Leigh Day, the British legal firm representing the protestors...CAFOD’s senior analyst on the extractives industry, Karen Luyckx said: “Monterrico cannot hide behind gagging orders and out of court settlements. They must not simply buy their way out of this case; they must change the way they operate in future.