Journalist Mario Guevara continues to be detained in the DeKalb County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, after being arrested last Saturday, June 14, during a protest against the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This Monday local media confirmed that a new charge of “unlawful assembly” has been added to the list of charges against him, thus increasing the list of accusations against him.
Mario Guevara had 2 charges, now he has 3
As of Sunday, Guevara was facing two charges, although authorities have not publicly detailed their nature.
The addition of a third charge has generated concern among civil rights organizations, journalists and activists who consider his detention a possible reprisal for his journalistic work covering immigration issues.
What happened during the protest?
The demonstration took place near Chamblee Tucker Road in DeKalb County, an area that has been the scene of multiple immigration raids in recent months.
According to local media reports such as WSB-TV, between 15 and 20 people were arrested during the protest.
Of that group, only four had been released as of Monday morning, June 16.
Mario Guevara, a reporter with years of experience covering issues affecting the Latino community, was arrested around 4:49 p.m. (Atlanta local time) on Saturday, while doing a live broadcast through his official Facebook account.
He has since remained in custody, and so far it has not been confirmed whether he is eligible for bail.
Why was a new charge added to Mario Guevara?
No official explanation has been given as to why the charge of “unlawful assembly” was not levied upon initial admission.
Univision reported that Mario Guevara’s legal team has avoided making any statements at this time, but they expect to make a statement in the near future.
These types of charges are usually applied when the authorities consider that a demonstration was unauthorized or took place outside the established legal limits.
However, press freedom organizations have raised their voices to denounce what could be a criminalization of journalism in contexts of social protest.
Solidarity and demands for freedom
Buzzy
Mario Guevara’s arrest has set off alarm bells on social networks, where colleagues and activists have called for his immediate release.
Some point out that holding a Hispanic journalist in jail for more than 48 hours without clear access to bail or public justification is a serious setback for freedom of expression.
In addition, there have been reports of other people detained in the same protest who have not yet been heard before a judge.
Meanwhile, the case of Mario Guevara becomes a symbol of a growing tension between the right to inform, the right to protest and the practices of the U.S. immigration system.
The addition of a third charge has raised concerns among civil rights organizations, journalists and activists who consider his arrest a possible reprisal for his journalistic work covering immigration issues
