Human rights defender Waldo Albarracín subject to police brutality
On the night of 10 November 2019, a crowd of 500 people looted and set fire to Waldo Albarracín's house while his family were inside. Two of his children remained inside the house before they managed to escape over the walls and into their neighbours' house. Since 20 October 2019, Waldo Albarracín has received numerous death threats on social networks against him and his family.
On 21 October 2019, human rights defender Waldo Albarracín was attacked with tear gas sprayed directly to the face, then received a blow to the head with the same gas cannister. These attacks took place as the human rights defender was protesting peacefully for electoral rights in Bolivia.
Waldo Albarracín Sanchéz is a well established and widely recognised human rights defender in Bolivia. He was the President of the Permanent Assembly of Human Rights of Bolivia (APDHB) from 1992 to 2003 and the Bolivian Ombudsman from 2004 to 2010. He is the current Rector of Universidad Mayor de San Andrés in La Paz and President of the National Committee for the Defence of Democracy (CONADE), a civil platform defending political rights.
On the night of 10 November 2019, a crowd of 500 people looted and set fire to Waldo Albarracín's house while his family were inside. Two of his children remained inside the house before they managed to escape over the walls and into their neighbours' house. Since 20 October 2019, Waldo Albarracín has received numerous death threats on social networks against him and his family.
On 20 October 2019, Waldo Albarracín received a blow to the face from a gas cannister while protesting peacefully against the results of the general elections in Bolivia. For this reason, Front Line Defenders published an urgent appeal condemning the attacks against the human rights defender for exercising his right to freedom of expression and association. In the weeks following the appeal, threats through social media increased significantly, with Waldo Albarracín receiving more than 60 messages threatening him and his family in just a month and a half. Among the most alarming messages were some such as: “hey dog, be careful with your words because if you keep talking badly about Mr. President I will make you swallow each of your words with a clean fist”, “If [E]vo falls we will execute you[,] you already fucked up so much you decide bastard” and “now your family is in danger[,] we will burn them alive you shit.”
In the midst of this context of harassment and intimidation, on 9 November 2019, public officials who sympathise with the government of Evo Morales called on Waldo Albarracín and other leaders of social groups to leave the department of La Paz within 48 hours for "generating convulsion, violence and division”.
Subsequently, on 10 November 2019, Waldo Albarracín's family was at home when they observed about 500 people approaching, and decided to evacuate immediately. Two of Waldo Albarracín's children remained inside the house before they managed to escape over the walls and into their neighbours' house. While the children were there, they heard how the attackers looted their home. According to the testimonies, the children's rooms were the first to be burned. Since the date of the fire, threats against them continue through direct messages on social media. The family of the human rights defender has filed a complaint with the Special Force to Combat Crime (FELCC) for the crimes of murder and attempted infanticide.
Front Line Defenders condemns the violence against human rights defender Waldo Albarracín and is concerned about the evident pattern of attacks against him and his family. Front Line Defenders also urges the Bolivian authorities to take steps to immediately and unconditionally protect the physical integrity of Waldo Albaraccin and his family.
On 21 October 2019, human rights defender Waldo Albarracín was attacked with tear gas sprayed directly to the face, then received a blow to the head with the same gas cannister. These attacks took place as the human rights defender was protesting peacefully for electoral rights in Bolivia.
Waldo Albarracín Sanchéz is a well established and widely recognised human rights defender in Bolivia. He was the President of the Permanent Assembly of Human Rights of Bolivia (APDHB) from 1992 to 2003 and the Bolivian Ombudsman from 2004 to 2010. He is the current Rector of Universidad Mayor de San Andrés in La Paz and President of the National Committee for the Defence of Democracy (CONADE), a civil platform defending political rights.
During the Bolivian elections of 20 October 2019, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) decided to suspend the provisional vote counting system. Subsequently, on 21 October 2019, the Electoral Tribunal resumed the official count, which raised suspicions among civil society groups and sections of the population. As human rights groups began a peaceful vigil outside the premises of the TSE, the police used physical violence to disperse the crowd. In response, Waldo Albarracín and other members of civil society stood their ground and were subsequently attacked with tear gas. Waldo Albarracín received a blow from a gas cannister, causing a mild concussion which incapacitated him for 14 days. Subsequently, he received several insulting and defamatory attacks on social networks.
This is not the first time that Waldo Albarracín has been attacked and received threats because of his work holding the government to account. During his mandate as Ombudsman, he vigorously defended the rights of indigenous peoples and the proper functioning of democracy, denouncing various human rights violations in Bolivia. For this reason, he has been the subject of smear campaigns carried out by high-ranking government authorities, including the current president, Evo Morales, who, during a press conference in 2018, described Waldo Albarracín as "resentful" and "aligned with the right".
Front Line Defenders condemns the attack on human rights defender Waldo Albarracín for exercising his right to freedom of expression and association. Front Line Defenders also expresses concern about the use of police violence in response to peaceful protests against the electoral system in Bolivia.
