Argentina: Two Years After Anti-Picket Protocol — Freedom of Expression Under Threat
Buenos Aires, Dec 13 — Two years after the implementation of the "Anti-Picket Protocol", Amnesty International has reported a severe deterioration in freedom of expression and assembly in Argentina. Over this period, more than 2,500 people have been injured during demonstrations, and state repression has increased, according to the Noticias Argentinas agency.
Resolution 943/2023, officially titled "Protocol for Maintaining Public Order in the Event of Traffic Disruptions", was promoted by the Ministry of Security. It defines any protest affecting traffic as a crime, allowing for evictions and arrests without a judicial order, which contradicts international standards on the use of force.
"The escalation of repression is undeniable and shows a serious regression in freedom of expression," said Paola García Rey, Deputy Director of Amnesty International Argentina. "State violence has not only increased, it is now normalized and functions as a mechanism of intimidation to discourage social participation."
According to records from human rights organizations, between 2024 and 2025, at least 2,557 people were injured due to the illegitimate or disproportionate use of force. This includes impacts from rubber bullets to the head and face, exposure to tear gas and pepper spray, beatings with batons, and widespread physical violence. The data reflects an exponential increase in repression.
Journalistic work was also a target of repression. At least 184 journalists and female journalists were injured, and several were arbitrarily detained while covering protests. The most serious case involved photographer Pablo Grillo, who on March 12, 2025, suffered an open skull fracture after being hit by a tear gas canister while covering a mobilization.
In another case, Rodrigo Troncoso, 24, reported a similar injury during a protest near the National Congress in November 2025. On March 12, 2025, Jonathan Navarro lost the vision in his left eye after being shot by a Naval Prefecture agent during a march in support of retirees.
According to the Provincial Memory Commission, 1,341 people were injured and 165 detained in 2025, while in all of 2024, 1,216 injuries and 93 detentions were recorded, representing a 77% increase in detentions, mostly arbitrary and without sufficient evidence. Four cases of permanent eye loss from rubber bullet shootings were also registered.
"The escalation of repression is undeniable and shows a serious regression in freedom of expression," said Paola García Rey, Deputy Director of Amnesty International Argentina. "State violence has not only increased, it is now normalized and functions as a mechanism of intimidation to discourage social participation."
In response, Amnesty International and other organizations are promoting an amparo action to declare the Anti-Picket Protocol unconstitutional. The Judicial Power must guarantee the fulfillment of Argentina's international commitments and put an end to a regulation that violates the National Constitution and human rights treaties.
