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Photojournalist attacked by leaders of ruling party's youth wing

(SPP/IFEX) - The following is a 30 July 2004 SPP press release:

SPP CONDEMNS RULING PARTY LEADERS' ATTACK ON PHOTOJOURNALIST

The SPP condemns a 29 July 2004 attack, perpetrated by leaders of the Partido Colorado party's youth wing, on photojournalist Daniel Duarte, of "La Nación" newspaper. During the incident, which took place in the capital, Asunción, Duarte was beaten and his camera was seized and destroyed.

Duarte was covering a meeting in the Ignacio A. Pane Centre, where his assailants lost in elections for the leadership of the party's youth wing. When the group noticed that Duarte was photographing them, they attacked him, trying to seize his camera. Duarte resisted but was surrounded by the youth. While some of them held him, nearly asphyxiating him with his camera strap, others kicked and punched him, throwing him to the ground.

According to Partido Colorado officials, Raúl Sánchez, the son of Partido Colorado Member of Parliament Raúl Sánchez, led the group that attacked Duarte. Sánchez senior is close to President Nicanor Duarte Frutos and is known for his support of the country's former dictator, Alfredo Stroessner. Sánchez junior apparently took Duarte's camera, threw it against a wall, then completely destroyed it and took it with him when he left.

A complaint regarding the incident, which constitutes a serious attack on press freedom and freedom of expression, has been filed with the authorities.

According to Mario Hugo Sanabria, the head of the government's press department, the Partido Colorado youth leaders nearly killed the journalist. It was only through the intervention of other media workers that the attack was prevented from becoming more serious. Duarte was taken to hospital for treatment.

SPP condemns such incidents and calls on the authorities to punish those responsible. The organisation organised a demonstration on 30 July to protest against the attack and call on the government to guarantee press freedom and ensure that journalists can safely carry out their work.

Asunción, 30 July 2004

For the Board of Directors:

Nilsa Florentín
Human Rights and Labour Matters Secretary

Miguel H. López
Secretary General