The National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (MNP), the body that monitors the treatment of people in state custody, reported that Karina had been arrested near the Asunción bus terminal. This is the area where the young trans woman, excluded from the job market because of her gender identity, works as a sex worker. She was there when police officers approached her and pushed her into a police vehicle. They didn't tell her why she was being arrested or where she was being taken. But she later learned that she was being accused of robbery. She maintains her innocence.

[READ MORE: Police tortured young trans woman: she remains in custody]

Carlota Rivarola, the lawyer accompanying Karina in her complaint of torture against the police officers, told Presents The medical examiner confirmed that he had bruises on his eye, face, and arm. The investigation continues: the Human Rights Prosecutor's Office must request the list of police officers involved in the arrest and open an internal investigation to clarify the facts.

Mistreatment and torture of trans people

According to Panambí's complaint, the physical and psychological abuse of Karina by the police began from the moment of her arrest. Yren Rotela told Presentes that police abuse against transvestite or trans sex workers is “normalized” violence.We suffer violence of all kinds: physical, verbal, or psychological. “You don’t need to be arrested for that. Many times, police officers drive by in a patrol car and insult you. Or they shine their headlights in your face to blind you. When someone is arrested, at the police station they throw water on them, pull their hair, slap them, and insult them because of their gender identity,” she said. She pointed out that police violence against trans people seeks move them from their work area. “I think they’re ordered to attack trans women so we’ll go there. But where are we supposed to go if we don’t have any other job options?” Rotela asks. 2016 report prepared by Panambí It draws attention to the violence and mistreatment of transgender people by police. It also warns of a significant underreporting of violence complaints against transgender people. In 2016, the HIV and Human Rights Complaints Center received a total of 87 complaints. These were for physical violence, discrimination based on gender identity, and discrimination based on sexual orientation against transgender people. The report estimates that this figure It doesn't even represent a third of the cases that occur.

Learn about your rights in the event of an arrest in Paraguay.

Photo: Google Maps screenshot/Gerardo Alarcón]]>