(FLIP/IFEX) – “Vanguardia Liberal” photojournalist José David Martínez was handcuffed and assaulted by police officers while he was trying to cover a failed attack on a public employee, and then falsely accused by the police of interference with the scene of the crime. When Enlace Televisión station cameraman John Jairo Herrera tried to film the […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – “Vanguardia Liberal” photojournalist José David Martínez was handcuffed and assaulted by police officers while he was trying to cover a failed attack on a public employee, and then falsely accused by the police of interference with the scene of the crime. When Enlace Televisión station cameraman John Jairo Herrera tried to film the assault on Martínez, he too was assaulted.
The incident occurred on 13 February 2007 in the city of Barrancabermeja, Santander department, when the police frustrated an attempt to blow up a grenade inside a vehicle. Martínez was taking photographs when an officer overpowered and handcuffed him, then assaulted him. Martínez’s camera was damaged. Herrera tried to film what was happening, but was then also assaulted by the police. Several minutes later, the police freed Martínez.
Martínez told FLIP that upon arriving on the scene, the police had ordered him to keep his distance since they were going to detonate the grenade. He obeyed this order. Minutes later, other police officers recommended that he move back even further, and then the police cordoned off the area; Martínez did not at any point cross that barrier.
Colonel Óscar Torres, the police commander for Barrancabermeja, told FLIP that he condemns the assault on Martínez, adding that the police do not have an institutional policy against journalists. He indicated that he would initiate an internal investigation to determine which police officers were involved in the assault.
Martínez says that he has already filed a complaint with the Prosecutor General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la Nación), which in turn ordered that he be examined by a doctor. According to the medical report, Martínez sustained injuries to his left shoulder and right hand, which interfere with work.
FLIP reiterates its call on the police and army to abstain from physically or verbally assaulting journalists covering events in public places. In this particular case, FLIP urges the police in Barrancabermeja to compensate Martínez for the damage to his camera. Although police have to protect citizens and ensure that the scene of a crime is not tampered with, this does not imply that they can assault journalists.
