Reporter is assaulted in Pernambuco

The reporter Rafael Dias was assaulted last Monday (28th ) night at the entrance of the newspaper Diário de Pernambuco, where he works, in Recife city. The aggressors were two men who identified themselves as councilman Luiz Vidal´s sons, who died last Saturday. Rafael was punched, had a bleeding and bruises on the mouth, besides a broken tooth.

The Vidal family has manifested discontentment with a report published by the Diário de Pernambuco about the anticipation of Luiz Vidal´s burial. The report would has been “irresponsible” and “imprudent” on revealing the possible reason of the politician´s death. Dias disagrees and believes that the act can´t be justified. “Even if there was a journalistic mistake, nothing justifies a physical aggression. It was a coward action not only against a professional, but also against the freedom of expression and the press freedom”, he says.

Since the aggression, Dias is on a medical leave and has been escorted by the newspaper´s security guards. “I am worried about my physical integrity, because the two aggressors have done threatens after the assault and they know where I work”, says Dias.

The journalist has lodged a complaint on corporal injury and an inquiry was opened at Santo Amaro´s Police Office, in Recife. Dias has also done a body exam at IML (Medical Legal Institute) and the results are supposed to come up within ten days. The criminal process will be investigated by police station Distrito da Boa Vista. “I am also studying the possibility to move a judicial action on moral damages”, says Dias.