HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS WILL TAKE

THE DEBATE ON THE USE OF TASER GUNS TO

THE NATIONAL SUPREME COURT

The Superior Court of Buenos Aires City has already authorized them, but a NGO filled an

extraordinary appeal for reviewing the decision. Social Organization described the guns

as an element of torture.

The Human Rights Observatory (ODH) seeks to prevent that Metropolitan Police be

equipped with Taser guns. The use of these guns was authorized by the Superior Court

of the City, whenever it exists a protocol for their use.

The ODH filed an extraordinary appeal with the objective that the National Supreme Court

review the decision taken by the City Court which authorized the use of such weapons by

the Metropolitan Police. The City Court has to decide whether they accept the request or

not, if their answer is negative the Human Rights Observatory has the option of submitting

a complaint.

"We think we have many chances because we made a very solid extraordinary appeal",

said Demian Konfino, lawyer for the Observatory, while reporting the appeal presentation

to the Court, which was also sponsored by the Office of the Ombudsman. The press

conference where the announcement was made shed light on the resistance that this

measure generates in Human Right Organizations: representatives from Amnesty

International, Legal and Social Studies Center (CELS), UTE-Ctera, H.I.J.O.S, The

Permanent Assembly for Human Rights (APDH), among others, were present.

We repudiate its use and want to continue with the prohibition of use that we achieved in

2010", explained Mr. Konfino. The Metropolitan Police can't use these weapons because

of our history, but mostly because it is a legal issue: our constitution and international

treaties that form the law in Argentina prohibits the violation of the rights to life , health and

physical integrity and we have proved that Taser generate damage to these rights" he

added.

Taser representative in Argentina, Maximiliano Buccello, explained to Infobae TV that this

type of weapon "has a protocol of use as, any other tool that a law enforcement

officer has. That protocol indicates when and how it should be used. There is a scale

based on the kind of aggression that the officer receives, indicating when you can deploy

each tool. Taser CEWs are the previous step to the use of a firearm. It is one more

alternative that the officer has, prior to the use of a firearm".

The specialist explained that these weapons are used when there is a risk to third persons

and, with respect to its effects, Buccello added: "Being during 5 seconds with 19

muscular contractions per second, feels as if you had went to the gym for two

hours".

The representative of Taser in Argentina remarked that "if there is an aggression, there is

no need to put at risk the officer or aggressor health. With this, you can fix in five

seconds, and more damage is avoided, which is what is sought, he said.

VIDEO EXPLAINING THE TECHNOLOGY.-