Peruvian police accused of torture

This morning we mentioned how police in the Dominican Republic have come under fire after officers killed four men by shooting them in the back. Sadly, a worse case of brutality appears to have occurred in Peru.

According to a local human rights group, police tortured and beat upon at least 28 peaceful protestors in 2005. Peru’s National Coordinating Committee for Human Rights lodged a formal complaint this week after revealing photos showing “police standing over men and women who have plastic trash bags pulled over their heads and hands tied behind their backs.”

As one eyewitness told Reuters:

“I felt all my rights were violated ... it was truly torture," said Elizabeth Cunya, who along with another community member and a local journalist told a news conference about three days of beatings by police and the company's security team that left one person dead. One photo showed police officers posing with underwear taken from two women.

After the images were published, Prime Minister Yehude Simon promised to personally review the torture allegations.

"As a state, we cannot allow abuse. Police, business leaders, workers -- no one can use force to impose their ideas on others," Simon told reporters.

The protestors had opposed the development of the multibillion dollar Rio Blanco mine (formally named Majaz Project) which is currently under control of a Chinese firm. Opposition to the mine’s expansion arose over environmental concerns as well as the social impact on local communities.

Meanwhile, Peru’s miners may strike in early February in protest of heavy layoffs in recent months.

(Hat tip: Inca Kola News).

Image- Living in Peru
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, LAHT, Inca Kola News, Bloomberg, Reuters, IHT, Oxfam America