Hundreds Detained In Peru as Cops Raid University in Post-Coup Crackdown
04:10 GMT 22.01.2023 (Updated: 04:28 GMT 22.01.2023)
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Mass arrests at Peru’s most storied university kicked off another round of international criticism towards the authorities who’ve been using violence to control an angry public since seizing power from Peru’s ousted indigenous president last month.
Hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators were arrested Saturday after police in Peru used an armored vehicle to ram through the gates of the oldest university in the western hemisphere and arrested those gathered there en masse.
BRUTAL. Tank breaking in the oldest university in the Americas, to arbitrarily detain (blocking access to lawyers) protestors from southern #Peru that were temporarily staying there. They first shoot at and then just pass over a “YOU SHALL NOT KILL” sign #SOSPeru #StopTheMassacre pic.twitter.com/0oZMclJsp0
— Julia Urrunaga (@jurrunaga) January 21, 2023
At least 200 people remained jailed hours after the raid on the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM) – including a journalist, as well as a mother and a young girl whose detention has since sparked outrage among the school’s faculty, human rights organizations, and social media users.
Entre las personas detenidas hay una niña. Esto no se puede permitir, en ningún estado de derecho una niña puede estar detenida. Claramente la @PoliciaPeru está violando los derechos humanos de las personas detenidas.@Defensoria_Peru @FiscaliaPeru#ProtestarEsUnDerecho pic.twitter.com/UG7XYuNKzd
— Indira Huilca (@IndiraHuilca) January 21, 2023
“Under no state of law can a girl be detained,” wrote Indira Huilca, a UNMSM sociologist and former member of Peruvian Congress.
“Clearly the Peruvian police are violating the human rights of detainees,” she concluded.
Her colleagues at the school from the Faculty of Arts and the Humanities issued their own statement expressing their total “rejection of the authorization of the violent police intervention” on the part of the regime.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro reacted with shock to footage of the assault on Twitter, urging the Organization of American States to look into the matter.
Peru’s National Association of Journalists demanded the “immediate release” of reporter Paty Condori, who they said Saturday was being held at the country’s Counter-Terrorist Directorate.
Interior Minister Vicente Romero defended the actions of security forces and appeared to attempt to pin the blame on the director of the university, claiming that the assault was carried out at her direct request.
Peruvian authorities – who seized power after arresting former President Pedro Castillo last month for his failed coup attempt – have so far struggled to respond to growing outrage over the raid.
Dina Boluarte's government has employed increasing violent methods in an effort to crush an uprising that’s endured for nearly two months. At least 59 people have died in the unrest, and security forces throughout the country continue to be accused of intentionally killing demonstrators.
