(IPYS/IFEX) – On 22 January 2007, former minister of public works Salvador Ric assaulted camera operator Álvaro Suárez, of Canal 39 Full TV television station, during an interview in the politician’s office in the city of Santa Cruz, eastern Bolivia. The former official was annoyed by a question posed by journalist Daniel Castro and ordered […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 22 January 2007, former minister of public works Salvador Ric assaulted camera operator Álvaro Suárez, of Canal 39 Full TV television station, during an interview in the politician’s office in the city of Santa Cruz, eastern Bolivia. The former official was annoyed by a question posed by journalist Daniel Castro and ordered the cameraman to stop taping. Then he threw himself against Suárez and hit him in the face. Castro intervened to protect the cameraman and stopped the assault.
Faced with the journalists’ reactions, Ric called his son and three employees, who snatched the video camera away from Suárez. The former minister kept the tape.
The reporters accused their assailants of theft using violence, attacks against press freedom, deprivation of freedom, criminal conspiracy and of having caused minor injuries.
