13 August 2017

…Social movement activists and human rights defenders gathered in Argentina’s famous Plaza de Mayo with photos of Santiago Maldonado, the activist who is said to have disappeared over two weeks ago during a raid by the military police in a Mapuche town…Organization leaders, Horacio Verbitsky of the Center for Legal and Social Studies read from a document signed by 13 human rights groups…"The only thing certain is that the National Gendarmerie (military police) carried out a brutal repression against the community without any judicial order," Verbitsky told the crowd…According to the family lawyer presiding over the case, “Instead of looking for the perpetrators, the victim is still being investigated," explained attorney Veronica Heredia. “Computers were not taken or documented ... There are important measures that are not being considered.” …Maldonado was last seen during a military police eviction operation against the Pu Lof Mapuche community in the Chubut department of Cushamen. Witnesses say they saw officers shove the young man into a van and drive away…Maldonado's family blame the military police for the young man’s disappearance but the government denies its involvement.