(IPYS/IFEX) – On 30 June 2006, Nicolás Revello, a photojournalist for the daily “Tiempo Sur” in the city of Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz province, was assaulted by members of the police’s riot squad while he was taking pictures of a group of young people throwing stones at the premises of the British Club, after Argentina’s […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 30 June 2006, Nicolás Revello, a photojournalist for the daily “Tiempo Sur” in the city of Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz province, was assaulted by members of the police’s riot squad while he was taking pictures of a group of young people throwing stones at the premises of the British Club, after Argentina’s national football team was eliminated from the World Cup which was being held in Germany.
The police officers kicked and punched Revello, and nearly destroyed his photographic equipment, even though he had identified himself as a journalist and showed them his credentials. He had been taking photographs of the police officers as they detained the disruptive youths.
The photojournalist filed a complaint at the province’s police headquarters after the attack, where he provided photos of at least two of his assailants.
Several cases of police brutality have already been reported in Santa Cruz province. Human rights organisations such as Argentina’s Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have stated that the security forces need to be more professional and be subject to independent external monitoring.
