A Reddit user posted that Chilean cops collected the information of several photographers covering the protests in the country and pointed out that one of the photojournalists from the list was found dead.
The country has been in turmoil for weeks after a dramatic spike in public transportation prices led to a wider conversation about inequality in the region. The discontent prompted student-led, anti-government protests. Police were quick to react with force to repress the movement. At least 20 people have died and more than 7,000 people have been arrested.
Reddit added the post about Chilean photographers to its “American Consciousness” section. More than 58,000 people have reacted to the post.
“Yesterday one of us was found dead in her apartment with her camera and pc missing,” the Reddit post says.
Photojournalist Albertina Martínez Burgos was found dead in her apartment on Friday. Local media outlets report that her body showed signs of violence and that her photo equipment had been robbed.
“She has been brutally murdered … In Chile, they assassinate whoever points out [injustices of] security forces,” Twitter user SoniaVivasRive3 wrote in Spanish.
https://twitter.com/SoniaVivasRive3/status/1198323273550970880
Chilean police are known for their use of excessive force and human rights breaches. Many protesters have shared videos of these incidents on Twitter and other social media networks.
Si usted piensa que en Chile se respeta la “Constitución”, está equivocado, una de las más importantes leyes se violan y es por la propia policía de @Carabdechile, quienes prohíben el libre tránsito que data de 1857 y en la actualidad lo hacen torturando… ¿NO LO CREEN?
— Chileokulto (@Chileokulto) November 22, 2019
VEALO 👇 pic.twitter.com/0OiN3xFxLH
Earlier this month, it was confirmed that police have been spying on activists and defenders of human rights, according to media outlet Interferencia. And in October, police beat up a journalist who was sharing a live video of the anti-government protests, according to Lamula.Pe.
Protests continue in the country as the student movement refuses to back down despite the injury toll reaching at least 2,300 people and the government releasing troops into the streets.
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