Brazil's Top Court: Amnesty Law Will Not Change

Source: Associated Press

Apr. 30, 2010
Brazil's Top Court: Amnesty Law Will Not Change
Supreme Court Rejects Change In Brazil's Amnesty Law To Try Alleged Human-rights Abusers

(AP) BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) - The Supreme Court has rejected a motion to modify the country's Amnesty Law so that officials accused of human-rights abuses under Brazil's military regime would have to stand trial.

The Brazilian Bar Association had submitted the proposal, arguing that torturers were excluded from the 1979 Amnesty Law pardoning both civilians and military personnel for alleged crimes committed under the 1964-1985 dictatorship.

The court voted the motion down by a vote of 7-2 on Thursday. Most justices said that the law should remain as it is because it had been approved by society as a whole, including the bar association, armed forces and political exiles.

Unlike Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, Brazil never prosecuted members of the armed forces for human rights abuses committed during the country's military rule.

Tim Cahill, Amnesty International's Brazil researcher, said Friday in an e-mailed statement that the Supreme Court's ruling was an "affront to the memory of the thousands who were killed, tortured and raped by the state that was supposed to protect them."

(my emphasis)



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/30/ap/latinamerica/main6447887.shtml

---

http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/Cezar_peluso.jpg/100px-Cezar_peluso.jpg

Cezar Peluso
(President of the Court)

http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Carlos_ayres_britto.JPG/100px-Carlos_ayres_britto.JPG

Carlos Ayres Britto
(Vice-President of the Court)

http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Gilmar-Mender.jpg/100px-Gilmar-Mender.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Ministro_Celso_de_Mello.jpg/100px-Ministro_Celso_de_Mello.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/Marco_aurelio_mello.jpg/100px-Marco_aurelio_mello.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/EllenGracie.jpg/100px-EllenGracie.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Eros_Grau_%282009%29_copyred.jpg/100px-Eros_Grau_%282009%29_copyred.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Ricardo_lewandowski.JPG/100px-Ricardo_lewandowski.JPG http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Carmenluciaministra.jpg/100px-Carmenluciaministra.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org.nyud.net:8090/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Toffoli_ministro_stf.jpg/100px-Toffoli_ministro_stf.jpg

Gilmar Mendes, Celso de Mello, Marco Aurélio Mello, Ellen Gracie Northfleet, Joaquim Barbosa, Eros Grau, Ricardo Lewandowski, Carmem Lúcia, Dias Toffoli

Wikipedia, Brazil Supreme Federal Court:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Federal_Court_(Brazil)

But it also shows a certain level of maturity and willingness to back off from revenge. A deal was struck, and even if it was rank and foul it was still made and executed.