Was Ameer al-Halbi injured by batons?
This is what affirms this Syrian photographer, a collaborator of AFP and Polka.
An investigation was opened Monday in "search of the causes of the injuries" suffered by the young man during the demonstration Saturday against the comprehensive security law.
This investigation, entrusted to the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN), aims to clarify the conditions of the occurrence of the serious injury to the face of this 24-year-old photographer, who had covered the Syrian conflict for AFP and is installed in France for almost three years.
A truncheon from a police officer could be involved.
"Clearly identified as journalists"
Ameer al-Halbi was on the ground in his own capacity during the demonstration against the “comprehensive security” law and police violence.
"We are shocked by the injuries inflicted on our colleague Ameer al-Halbi and we condemn this unprovoked violence," Phil Chetwynd, AFP news director, responded on Sunday.
Phil Chetwynd underlined that at the time of the events, Ameer al-Halbi "was exercising his legal right as a photojournalist covering the demonstrations in the streets of Paris" and that he "was with a group of colleagues clearly identified as journalists".
In a statement, the SNJ-CGT of AFP demands "not only an apology from the police forces but also from Minister Darmanin who had until now been content to castigate the perpetrators of police attacks, just as by way of as a sign of appeasement the departure of Préfet Lallement ”.
"Unacceptable police violence"
An "internal administrative" investigation has already been opened by the police to determine the circumstances of the incident.
The commission of the identity card of professional journalists (CCIJP) expresses in a press release "its indignation in the face of such facts [...], denounces these attacks on the right to information, unacceptable in our democracy" and "is concerned laws passed or in preparation on these subjects and the risk they pose to freedom of the press ”.
In a tweet on Saturday evening, Reporters Without Borders denounced “unacceptable police violence”.
#France: During a charge against the black blocks, the photographer @AmeerAlhalbi was clubbed by the police who also attacked @RemyBuisine from @brutofficiel.
@RSF_inter denounces #Violencespolicieres which should not be a response to attacks against the police.
https://t.co/lSQO1uZOho
- RSF in French (@RSF_fr) November 29, 2020
Ameer al-Halbi says that at the time of the clashes at the end of the demonstration in Place de la Bastille, he took a few minutes before the incident "photos of the police who were beating someone".
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A few minutes later, “the police arrived and suddenly I found myself on the ground, I didn't realize what happened.
I think it was one shot.
People stepped on me and then someone helped me, ”said this photographer.
"I did not have my protective equipment, confiscated by the police during a demonstration of" yellow vests "because I did not have a press card," he added.
In 2017, Ameer al-Halbi won the 2nd prize in the “Spot News” category for the World Press Photo and covered for AFP the fighting and devastation in his city of Aleppo, in the midst of the Syrian conflict.
