Journalist Lorenzo Villalba reported being a victim of police brutality while covering a fire at the Nápoles nightclub in downtown Asunción on Sunday.
Villalba, who lives near the venue, went down to record with his cell phone after noticing people being evacuated and smoke reaching his home. He reported seeing a man being arrested after alerting others about the fire before the police arrived.
As he approached to ask the detained man about the causes of the fire and the arrest, one of the officers allegedly reacted with fury, ordering him to stop recording. Villalba stated that he restarted the recording, at which point another officer, possibly the operation's leader, took his phone. When he demanded the device back, the journalist was ordered to be detained.
Three officers immobilized him, threw him to the ground, and handcuffed him, causing injuries to his wrists from the improperly applied cuffs. He also reported being kicked and thrown against a staircase upon arrival at the police station.
According to the explanation given after his release, the detention was for alleged obstruction of a police procedure. Villalba was held for about three hours and left with injuries to his face, wrists, and arms.
The communicator described the experience as humiliating and a violation of his rights, stating he had never been through anything similar in his career. He announced he will file a formal complaint against the officers' irregular actions with the Public Prosecutor's Office.