STATEMENT: R2K welcomes Mido Macia judgement

The Right2Know Campaign welcomes Judge Bert Bam’s ruling on taxi driver Mido Macia’s murder case. We are elated that eight police officers accused of murdering Macia were found guilty on Tuesday.

We hope that the sentence in September will send a strong message that in a democracy, police brutality has no place.

Macia was dragged behind a police van for about 200 meters while handcuffed. He died in police custody in February 2013.

We believe this also shows the importance of citizen journalism and the right to film and photograph the police. The brutal attack on Mido Macia was first exposed when a bystander filmed the incident on his or her phone and sent the footage to The Daily Sun. If this footage had never come to light, would we even know Mido Macia’s name?

R2K calls on ordinary people on every street corner to exercise vigilance and be ready to document police brutality and other rights violations whenever they happen.

Those wishing to know more about the right to film the police can download an advisory at www.r2k.org.za/filmthepolice

Exercise caution and be safe when interacting with SAPS, metro police and private security guards, but know your rights!

For further comment contact:

Murray Hunter: R2K National Spokesperson on 072 672 5468

Micah Reddy: Media Freedom Spokesperson on 083 297 3444

Busi Mtabane: R2K Communicator on 083 329 7844