12/16/2014
ASUNCION – A Paraguayan journalist who had reported being tortured by police was arrested when entering the country from Argentina, the Paraguay Union of Journalists (SPP) told Efe.
Paulo Lopez, who was arrested Sunday, was working for the digital media Analysis E’A and was investigating the identity of people detained in Asuncion last January who had participated in a protest against the rise in public transport fares.
After being released, Lopez filed a complaint for torture and arbitrary detention with the Prosecution for Human Rights, which was also signed by the SPP.
SPP Secretary General Santiago Ortiz said that Lopez’ arrest occurred at the border post of Puerto Falcon and he is currently being held in a police station in Asuncion waiting for his appearance before the judge.
According to the authorities, Ortiz said, Lopez was declared in contempt of court after being indicted for an alleged assault on a police officer during his arrest in January.
The charges were processed during the time he was in Buenos Aires where he went in August to complete a master’s degree.
However, Ortiz said that neither the SPP nor its lawyers knew of that allegation.
“It is to intimidate my colleague to desist from his complaint. We qualify (the arrest) as a violation of human rights and a new outrage from the government on the exercise of journalism,” said Ortiz.
He added that Lopez did not have any problem when he left Paraguay in August.
During his arrest in January, Lopez also reported that the police had confiscated his camera and a diary that were never returned to him.
In the protest that the journalist was covering, about 30 people participated who, according to the police, damaged several buses, leading to the intervention of police.
source
ASUNCION – A Paraguayan journalist who had reported being tortured by police was arrested when entering the country from Argentina, the Paraguay Union of Journalists (SPP) told Efe.Paulo Lopez, who was arrested Sunday, was working for the digital media Analysis E’A and was investigating the identity of people detained in Asuncion last January who had participated in a protest against the rise in public transport fares.
After being released, Lopez filed a complaint for torture and arbitrary detention with the Prosecution for Human Rights, which was also signed by the SPP.
SPP Secretary General Santiago Ortiz said that Lopez’ arrest occurred at the border post of Puerto Falcon and he is currently being held in a police station in Asuncion waiting for his appearance before the judge.
According to the authorities, Ortiz said, Lopez was declared in contempt of court after being indicted for an alleged assault on a police officer during his arrest in January.
The charges were processed during the time he was in Buenos Aires where he went in August to complete a master’s degree.
However, Ortiz said that neither the SPP nor its lawyers knew of that allegation.
“It is to intimidate my colleague to desist from his complaint. We qualify (the arrest) as a violation of human rights and a new outrage from the government on the exercise of journalism,” said Ortiz.
He added that Lopez did not have any problem when he left Paraguay in August.
During his arrest in January, Lopez also reported that the police had confiscated his camera and a diary that were never returned to him.
In the protest that the journalist was covering, about 30 people participated who, according to the police, damaged several buses, leading to the intervention of police.
source
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