KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) is calling on the Police High Command and INDECOM to launch an immediate investigation into reports of an unprovoked assault by the police on newspaper photographer Rudolph Brown on Tuesday, February 13, 2018.

According to the PAJ, Brown reported that while in the Cross Roads area, he witnessed a commotion apparently caused by attempts by the police to arrest a man. He started to use his phone to record the incident. On being told to stop by the police sergeant on location, he says he clearly identified himself as a member of the media, both verbally and by showing his company ID card which was around his neck.

“Brown says he continued to record the proceedings and heard the police sergeant tell a constable to pepper spray him. He says the police constable sprayed pepper spray directly into his eyes, causing him severe pain and distress, which continued for hours and worsened later in the evening,” the PAJ statement under the signature of president Dionne Jackson Miller stated.

The Press Association of Jamaica condemns unequivocally this blatant abuse of force by the police, and calls for an immediate investigation and response by the Police High Command and INDECOM.