
BUENOS AIRES — Twelve Argentine policemen were being questioned for their suspected role in beating and "crucifying" a detainee, who was found strapped to a street pole in the district of San Francisco - Frontera, northwest of Buenos Aires.
A witness called police early after spotting the victim on Saturday; his head and face were also taped over, except for two holes to let him breathe. A note stuck on the victim read: "Thou Shalt Not Steal," the Argentine daily Clarín reported.
The man later told investigators that "four or five policemen" from the police station in Frontera, adjacent to San Francisco, had detained and beaten him. Prosecutors were expected to question 12 policemen from Frontera — including the local police chief and his deputy.
The victim said he was afraid to file charges against the policemen, adding that he was unsure that he could recognize them in court. "They had me locked up in a cell all day. When they took me out they were laughing. They were the ones who took me out of the cell and tied me to the place where I was found half an hour later."