Gustavo Gatica is a 26 year old psychologist.  On 8 November 2019, then a 21 year old student, he attended a protest that was violently repressed by police. They fired riot shotguns at protesters in a manner inconsistent with international standards. Gustavo was hit in both eyes by rubberized buckshot and left permanently blind as a result of this police operation. Hundreds of others also partially lost their sight or suffered eye injuries, and thousands more suffered other injuries as a result of the repression.

The events occurred in the context of social unrest and wider repression of protests in the country. During this Amnesty International found evidence of widespread human rights violations perpetrated mostly by Chilean police, and an omission by commanders to stop these abuses from occurring day in and day out. The report “Eyes on Chile” concluded that the actions and omissions of the General Director at the time of the events and the current General Director, who held the post of Director for Order and Security at the time of the events should be investigated.

The campaign seeks to ensure that active police officials and commanders are held accountable for human rights violations they have committed.

Currently, Gustavo’s judicial case is still in the investigation phase and awaiting trial. The investigation is formalized against a Carabineros officer, Claudio Crespo, identified as “G-3” by Amnesty International during the repression of the social unrest.

https://www.facebook.com/AmnestyUK/posts/851954746978503