[liberationtech] Documenting police brutality in Kiev

[phreedom at yandex.ru]

On Monday, December 02, 2013 01:32:58 PM Walid AL-SAQAF wrote:
> The recent mass protest in Kiev resulted in a violent crackdown against
> protesters in scenes reminiscent of what the Arab Spring has witnessed. But
> what is quite salient in the video shown here:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWNdeRtBmWA
> 
> Is the intentional targeting and destruction of mobile phones of the
> protesters. It kind of reminds me of the 'liberation technology' notion of
> using phones to document brutality to be published online to mobilize
> public opinion. Such devices could threaten expose human rights violations
> and expose the ugly truth for the world to see.
> 
> Just notice how riot policemen intentionally wreck and destroy mobile
> devices one by one. Kind of confirms the LibTech notion, doesn't it ?

This is also due to the fact that the justice system is mostly disfunctional. 
If you don't have a video proof, the side that pays more or is better 
politically connected wins. If you have a video and get press involved(which 
is relatively free, with quite free internet as a backup), you stand a chance 
to win. Works in so many situations, not just protests. Thus police are very 
afraid of video recording equipment.