Brasília, September 16, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Those who should be responsible for protection become the aggressors. Data from the National Human Rights Movement (MNDH) show that in 77% of the cases of torture, the crime is committeed by police officers and prison guards. To combat this practice, the government intends to launch a collective campaign, joining the Judiciary, state governments, and the Public Interest Defenders' Offices.

According to Minister Nilmário Miranda, of the Special Secretariat of Human Rights, the idea is to work together with the integrated public safety cabinets, which are being set up in the states, following their adhesion to the Unified Public Safety System, a program sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. "We shall call on these cabinets to see what cases are pending, to see whether the investigations were concluded, whether they were passed along to the State Public Interest Defenders' Office," he explained. Miranda informed that one of the projects is to promote courses to train judges, prosecutors, and attorneys, to increase the number of punishments in cases involving accusations of torture.

The Minister, who was a torture victim himself during the period of military dictatorship, said that he is fighting for human rights violations to be considered federal crimes. "When there is evident impunity, covering up suspects, we must have the authority to place this under federal jurisdiction," he affirmed. (DAS)