Brasília, July 5, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - Brazil needs to approve the bill federalizing crimes that violate human rights, according to the head of the Special Secretariat of Human Rights, Minister Nilmário Miranda, who participated, Friday (2), in the IX National Human Rights Conference, in Brasília.

The Minister explained that federalization of the most serious crimes will avert the huge number of suits against Brazil in the Organization of American States' (OAS) Inter-American Human Rights Court. According to Miranda, the country is currently the object of around 100 suits in the OAS. The cases include the Candelária and Vigário Geral massacres, which are under state jurisdiction.

Federalization is part of the reform of the Judiciary, which has already been approved by the Chamber of Deputies and is awaiting vote in the Senate. "For the government, the reform of the Judiciary is a priority," Miranda said.

Reporter: Andréia Araújo
Translator: David Silberstein