Folks, just heard about this. Here is the press release:
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER VICTIM OF CIVILIAN AND POLICE BRUTALITY IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
John Paul Gallagher, an independent photographer from Connecticut was brutally assaulted by two civilian men, while a mob of more than 20 people, including police officers, encouraged the violence and watched, while doing nothing to help.
On Wednesday December 13th, Gallagher was returning to his car parked on a side street off El Malec?n, the boardwalk area of Santo Domingo City, after photographing the area, when the two men approached him violently. The photographer stated: ?I had come to what I thought was my car, I drive a silver Corolla, the most common type of car in the Dominican Republic, but realized it wasn?t when after putting in my key and actually opening the door, an alarm when off. I realized it was not my car because I do not have an alarm, so I closed the door, and continued to look for my car.? At this point two unidentified males in their late twenties attacked him, binding his hands and legs and throwing him on the ground while the car owner yelled ?get that thief, kill him!? Astonished, Gallagher tried to explain to his attackers that he was no thief, that he in fact had a car just like the lady?s and had been confused. He asked them to please come with him to find his car, but no one listened. The men continued to beat him causing injuries on his head, legs, back, arm, face, in addition to breaking his nose.
Two men from the mob who identified themselves as policemen then took Gallagher into custody, and drove the photographer in his own car, to the police station where he was beaten again by a Dominican police officer who pointed a gun at him.
Gallagher was kept incommunicado, while injured, for nearly three hours. His statement was never taken, and no one in the station would call his embassy: ?I must have looked pretty badly because after a few hours they took me to the hospital, but the only thing they allowed the nurse to do was clean my blood. I received no examination, no medical care, even though the nurse strongly advised immediate X-rays because of my head injuries,? expressed Gallagher. At the hospital, Gallagher was able to ask the nurse to call his wife for him because the police would not allow him to do so.
After being notified by a the nurse who felt sorry for the injustice there committed, Lorgia Garcia, Gallagher?s wife, who is a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan, arrived in the station to aid her husband. There, she was threatened by police officers and by Ms. Rodr?guez, the car owner.
Garc?a contacted the US Embassy and Dominican lawyers who were able to obtain a release for Gallagher at around 4.45 PM, seven hours after his arrest. He was then taken to the hospital for medical care. Gallagher and Garc?a expressed concern for their safety. They are imploring the United States to intervene in the situation, to ensure their safety and to investigate this case of civil and human rights violation. Gallagher?s case is not uncommon in the Dominican Republic. Everyday a person is injured or killed by the police or civilians encouraged by the police and the media.
Gallagher photographs the life of marginalized groups in various parts of the world in order to raise social awareness and promote justice. This incident happened while working on a photo essay on the homeless living in the beachfront area of Santo Domingo.
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER VICTIM OF CIVILIAN AND POLICE BRUTALITY IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
John Paul Gallagher, an independent photographer from Connecticut was brutally assaulted by two civilian men, while a mob of more than 20 people, including police officers, encouraged the violence and watched, while doing nothing to help.
On Wednesday December 13th, Gallagher was returning to his car parked on a side street off El Malec?n, the boardwalk area of Santo Domingo City, after photographing the area, when the two men approached him violently. The photographer stated: ?I had come to what I thought was my car, I drive a silver Corolla, the most common type of car in the Dominican Republic, but realized it wasn?t when after putting in my key and actually opening the door, an alarm when off. I realized it was not my car because I do not have an alarm, so I closed the door, and continued to look for my car.? At this point two unidentified males in their late twenties attacked him, binding his hands and legs and throwing him on the ground while the car owner yelled ?get that thief, kill him!? Astonished, Gallagher tried to explain to his attackers that he was no thief, that he in fact had a car just like the lady?s and had been confused. He asked them to please come with him to find his car, but no one listened. The men continued to beat him causing injuries on his head, legs, back, arm, face, in addition to breaking his nose.
Two men from the mob who identified themselves as policemen then took Gallagher into custody, and drove the photographer in his own car, to the police station where he was beaten again by a Dominican police officer who pointed a gun at him.
Gallagher was kept incommunicado, while injured, for nearly three hours. His statement was never taken, and no one in the station would call his embassy: ?I must have looked pretty badly because after a few hours they took me to the hospital, but the only thing they allowed the nurse to do was clean my blood. I received no examination, no medical care, even though the nurse strongly advised immediate X-rays because of my head injuries,? expressed Gallagher. At the hospital, Gallagher was able to ask the nurse to call his wife for him because the police would not allow him to do so.
After being notified by a the nurse who felt sorry for the injustice there committed, Lorgia Garcia, Gallagher?s wife, who is a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan, arrived in the station to aid her husband. There, she was threatened by police officers and by Ms. Rodr?guez, the car owner.
Garc?a contacted the US Embassy and Dominican lawyers who were able to obtain a release for Gallagher at around 4.45 PM, seven hours after his arrest. He was then taken to the hospital for medical care. Gallagher and Garc?a expressed concern for their safety. They are imploring the United States to intervene in the situation, to ensure their safety and to investigate this case of civil and human rights violation. Gallagher?s case is not uncommon in the Dominican Republic. Everyday a person is injured or killed by the police or civilians encouraged by the police and the media.
Gallagher photographs the life of marginalized groups in various parts of the world in order to raise social awareness and promote justice. This incident happened while working on a photo essay on the homeless living in the beachfront area of Santo Domingo.