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Mexican journalists roughed up by Greek "coast guard"
Alberto Lati, Athens correspondent for the Televisa channel, said reporter Eduardo Salazar and cameraman Russel Baquiero, accompanied by an interpreter, were wrapping up a report on the port when three soldiers arrived in a van. The soldiers "got out of their car and put handcuffs on them without allowing the interpreter to talk," Lati said "They said, 'We don't care if you're journalists and have accreditation'." The three coastguards then led the journalists to a nearby public building and, according to Lati, started beating them and explicitly threatening their lives, laughing throughout the ordeal. One took Vaqueiro by his hair and hit his head against a desk, Lati said. "If you don't sit properly, I'll throw you out of the window," one of the coastguards allegedly told the men, according to the interpreter. A high-ranking coastguard officer later apologised on camera for the incident and said the three soldiers involved would be detained. "We strongly regret the incident," said Michail Zaharatos, a spokesman for the Olympic Games organising committee ATHOC. "We have issued strict instructions that this incident is not repeated." Mr Zaharatos also confirmed that an investigation had been launched. "Should it recommend disciplinary action against the two members of the Hellenic Coastguard, it will be taken immediately." Posted by: Super Hose 2004-08-05 |
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