By Nelson Santana [Leer en español]
October 29, 2018
Ney was murdered in 2015 by the National Police in the Dominican Republic
Today would have marked Ney’s 44th birthday
Authorities have failed to cooperate with the family and the judicial process has been abysmal
Ney’s tragedy highlights the history of police brutality and repression in the Dominican Republic
Nelson Rafael Díaz Henríquez, nicknamed Ney, was an artist viciously murdered by the National Police in the Dominican Republic. Relatives want justice for Ney, a crime that remains unsolved!
“Ney’s tragic case is one that highlights the history of police brutality and repression in the Dominican Republic. ”
As per a press release released by Ney’s family on January 26, 2015:
Ney, who was afflicted by mental deterioration; was intercepted while running naked on Avenida 27 de Febrero corner Avenida Máximo Gómez; by three members of the National Police, who beat him, knocked him to the ground, handcuffed him and then forced their weight on him, applying pressure for more than twenty (20) minutes, suffocating him until he died, according to witness testimony.
Ney’s mother and sister, María Esperanza Henríquez González and Aura Luz Madera Henríquez, respectively, have sought information from the Dominican authorities since Ney’s death. Unfortunately, they have been met with roadblock and obstruction. The District Attorney’s Office has been negligent. The personnel have refused to request the video footage recorded by the 911 camera system, which records all movements in the area from different angles.
Ney’s relatives have exhausted all options to obtain the video footage of the night of the incident. On Tuesday, September 25, 2018, they went to the Supreme Administrative Court where they formally filed legal protection against the Sistema Nacional de Emergencia y Seguridad 911 to ensure the videos are shared with them. Unfortunately, the legal protection was denied and Ney’s family remains unsatisfied with the judicial process.
Prior to his death, Ney and his mother, María Esperanza, wrote to each other frequently, especially during special dates. Today would have been Ney’s 44th birthday. Last week, ESENDOM published a letter Esperanza wrote to her son.
Ney’s tragic case is one that highlights the history of police brutality and repression in the Dominican Republic. In 1994, Narciso González (Narcisaso) disappeared during the government of Joaquín Balaguer. González was a well-known activist and ardent critic of President Balaguer. Another unresolved case that remains in judicial limbo is the case of Juan Almonte Heredia, who disappeared in 2009, during Leonel Fernández’s third presidential term.
Relatives and close friends Nelson Rafael Díaz Henríquez «Ney» seek answers and demand JUSTICE!
Images of Ney and his artwork:
