NGOS put pressure on chief of Staff’s Office re appointment at organ for the combat of torture

After 100 days of government, delay in presidential approval is compromising the combat of cruel treatment in Brazil

Pedrinhas Penitentiary Complex (MA) is an international symbol of prison violence (Photo: Conectas)

On Wednesday, as the Bolsonaro government completed its first 100 days, members of the CNPCT (National Committee for the Prevention and Combat of Torture), that Conectas is part of, sent a letter to the Chief of Staff’s Office calling for the federal government to publish a decree to appoint members for the biennium 2019-2020.

The Committee has a key role in articulating the SNPCT (National System for the Prevention and Combat of Torture) and monitors and proposes action and programmes for the eradication of torture in the country. The System was set up by federal law in 2013 to ensure the end of cruel and inhumane treatment in institutions for the deprivation of liberty, such as police stations, penitentiaries, juvenile detention centres and psychiatric hospitals.

The board is composed of 23 members, 11 of whom are representatives from federal government bodies and 12 from civil society organisations. This is an unpaid role. Last November, 12 organisations were selected to make up the Committee for the next two years, however the mandate will only actually start when members are appointed by the president of the republic.

The delay in protocol, by Jair Bolsonaro, is seriously damaging the proper functioning of the System, as the CNPCT is responsible for selecting the independent experts of the National Mechanism for the Prevention and Combat of Torture, that carries out checks on places of deprivation of liberty. It is also responsible for producing reports and presenting proposals for actions to help the government combat this type of violation. “The lack of appointment demonstrates the government’s neglect regarding this matter. The Mechanism is currently working with only half the experts who have been nominated, which is really compromising its work.”  Explained Henrique Apolinário, Advisor on the Conectas programme for Institutional Violence and Representative for the organisation on the CNPCT.

Read here the full document sent to the Chief of Staff’s Office.