December 17, 2000

In confirmation of what the political prisoners, their lawyers, and the MST have been repeatedly stating, public attorney José Ricardo Peirão Rodrigues manifested publicly that the 6 political prisoners from Boituva (SP) have been illegally detained for the past six months.

Here are some passages from Rodrigues's statement:

"Evidence in support of their conviction is precarious and insufficient, and the defense lawyers are correct in claiming acquittal for all crimes for which the defendants have been charged
...
In my opinion, the defendants should only be held responsible for the crime of damage with extenuating circumstances (for having used flammable substances and for damaging public property), and should be acquitted from the charges of robbery and arson.
...
Given that, [it is my belief] that the defendants should be released from incarceration, given that they have already served time for their conviction for damage with extenuating circumstances.
...
In keeping with the sentence for the crime of damage, only with the aggravating circumstance of usage of flammable substance, the defendants should be set free immediately, because they have already served the appropriate time for their sentences. They were detained in November 10, 1999 and convicted for 7 months (Benedito) and 6 months (all the others). They should therefore be released."

Because of political persecution against the MST, landless workers Valquimar Reis Fernandes, Rosalino Bispo de Oliveira, Elvis Ferreira Lima, Odair Moraes da Rosa, Benedito Ismael Alves Cardoso e Edmar Pereira dos Santos have been in jail since November 10, 1999.

On that day they were protesting the high tolls currently charged in the highways of the State of São Paulo. The police reacted by shooting, and that triggered the protesters' reaction, who ended up destroying two toll booths. The six workers were jailed as a warning to the MST. After 7 months in jail, they were sentenced by the Boituva court to 8 years and 10 months imprisonment up to 11 years and 15 days, varying with each defendant.

The workers have always claimed their innocence, and the defense attorneys pointed out in their appeal that the conviction was illegal because the appropriate court procedures were not abided by. For more information on the Boituva hostages, please call +55 (11) 3663-2392 / 3663-4167 (MST/SP) or 3105-2516 (Committee for the Defense of Democracy).

The São Paulo State Court must examine the appeal immediately!

Please send messages to the authorities below demanding the consideration of the appeal and the immediate release of the imprisoned workers.

1. Tribunal de Justiça de São Paulo
   Presidente do Tribunal de Justiça
   Desembargador Márcio Bonilha
   Praça da Sé, S/N - Palácio da Justiça
   01001-000 - SP - Brasil
   FAX: 11 232 9366 ou 232 6890
   gab1@tj.sp.gov.br

2. Presidente da República
   Fernando Henrique Cardoso
   Palácio do Planalto
   70150-900
   Brasília - DF - Brasil
   FAX: 61 441 2222 ou 224 0289
   pr@planalto.gov.br

3. Ministério da Justiça
   Dr. José Gregori
   Esplanada dos Ministérios - B1 T
   70064-900
   Brasília - DF - Brasil
   FAX: 61 218 3000 ou 224 0954
   acs@mj.gov.br

4. Governo do Estado de São Paulo
   Mário Covas
   Av. Morumbi, 4500
   06598-900
   São Paulo - SP - Brasil
   FAX: 3745 3311
   saopaulo@sp.gov.br

5. Secretaria de Justiça e da Defesa da Cidadania de São Paulo
   Secretário Edson Vismona
   11 31065545 ou 3106 5181
   justica@justica.sp.gov.br