[04/03/2007] URGENT ACTION SUCCESS: Judge Accepts Request, Releases MST Prisoner in Pernambuco!

Dear Friends of the MST,

Today, April the 3rd, the judge responsible for the 2nd judicial district in Recife, Pernambuco (PE), accepted the request for the provisional release of Landless Rural Worker, Iroilton Pereira de Morais.

The MST militant had been imprisoned since March the 8th, the day he was detained by military police in Recife while participating in a march to commemorate International Women’s Day.

We send thanks to everyone who helped secure the freedom of another one of our colleagues, criminalized and improperly treated by the authorities solely because they are active in our social movements.

In Struggle,
Land of Rights Legal Team
~~~
[03/29/2007]
Dear Friends of the MST,

Landless Rural Worker, Iroilton Pereira de Morais, has been imprisoned in Recife, state of Pernambuco, Brazil, since March 8th. He was imprisoned during a march to commemorate International Women's Day, when roughly 200 women marching in central Recife were brutally attacked by military police. Police shot into the crowd, punched, kicked and hit marchers with batons. Besides the physical and psychological violence against the women marchers, the police brutally beat and imprisoned three men, among them Mr. Iroilton Pereira de Morais.

In the coming days a judge will decide on the release request of Mr. Morais. We ask all organizations and individuals to please, WITH THE GREATEST URGENCY, send letters of support for Mr. Morais to the judge handling his case. Below you will find an English and Portuguese draft letter, with contact information included, which you should copy, paste and personalize before faxing to Brazil.

Thank you in advance for your support.

In Struggle,
Land of Rights Legal Team

~~~~~
DRAFT LETTER BELOW / ENGLISH
~~~~~

[DATE]
[CITY/STATE/COUNTRY]

Exmo. Sr.
Dr. Antonio Carlos Alves da Silva
Juiz de Direito da 2ª Vara do Júri da Capital
Recife – PE
Fax: *From U.S. to Brazil* 011 55 (81) 3412-5975

REF.:
Autos de Ação Penal 001.2007.020726-8
Iroilton Pereira de Morais

I, [YOUR NAME/ORG], respectfully request that you decide in favor of the release from prison of Mr. Iroilton Pereira de Morais, landless rural worker imprisoned since March 8th, 2007.

Sr. Iroilton was jailed on March the 8th as he participated in the International Women's Day march in Recife, Pernambuco (PE), falsely accused of attempted murder against the military policeman, Cabo Marcos Sérgio Lídio de Carvalho.

Based on television and print media reports, on March 8th roughly 200 people marched on Avenida Caxangá, near the Animal Exhibition Hall of the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Agrarian Reform (PE). The march, a commemoration for International Women’s Day, was violently supressed by the military police, with police attacking individual marchers, shooting their firearms, kicking demonstrators, hitting them with police batons, etc. Besides the physical and psychological violence against the women marchers, the police brutally beat and imprisoned three men, among them Mr. Iroilton Pereira de Morais.

This is one more case of police violence against human rights defenders. The context of violence against human rights defenders in Brazil has already brought attention from national and international authorities. During the report on her mission in Brazil, the UN Rapporteur for the Defense of Human Rights, Hina Jilani, yesterday criticized the excessive use of force by police against protestors.

The aforementioned criminal accusation against Mr. Iroilton is now before you in court, and Your Honor's decision to free Mr. Iroilton on bail would be greatly appreciated.

We are convinced that allowing Mr. Iroilton free on bail will not put the public order at risk since he is a simple rural worker, father of a family, with a defined place of employment, a fixed address, and a good record. We ask you to grant him bail, ensuring his constitutional right to take part in the judicial process while free on bail.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME/ORG]

~~~
DRAFT LETTER BELOW / PORTUGUESE
~~~

[DATA]
[CIDADE/ESTADO/PAIS]

Exmo. Sr.
Dr. Antonio Carlos Alves da Silva
Juiz de Direito da 2ª Vara do Júri da Capital
Recife – PE
Fax: *From U.S. to Brazil* 011 55 (81) 3412-5975
Ref.:
Autos de Ação Penal 001.2007.020726-8
Iroilton Pereira de Morais

[NOME/ORG], vem, respeitosamente, à presença de Vossa Excelência, manifestar apoio à liberdade do trabalhador rural sem terra Iroilton Pereira de Morais.

O Sr. Iroilton foi preso no dia 08 de março de 2007, quando participava de uma caminhada em comemoração ao dia internacional da mulher, em Recife/PE, sob a acusação de ter, em tese, cometido o crime de tentativa de homicídio contra o policial militar, Cabo Marcos Sérgio Lídio de Carvalho.

Conforme foi amplamente divulgado pela mídia impressa e televisiva, no dia 08 de março de 2007, cerca de 200 pessoas caminhavam na Avenida Caxangá, nas imediações do centro de exposição de animais, da Secretaria de Estado da Agricultura e Reforma Agrária, em comemoração ao dia internacional das mulheres, quando foram violentamente surpreendidas por policiais militares, que invadiram a marcha e começaram a desferir disparos de arma de fogo, agredir as manifestantes com socos, chaves de braço, golpes de cacetetes, etc. Além da violência física e psicológica contra as mulheres, os policiais espancaram brutalmente e prenderam arbitrariamente três trabalhadores, dentre eles o Sr. Iroilton Pereira de Morais.

Trata-se, pois, de mais um caso de violência policial contra defensores e defensoras de direitos humanos. Esse contexto de violência contra defensores de direitos humanos tem chamado a atenção de autoridades nacionais e internacionais. A própria Relatora da ONU sobre Defensores de Direitos Humanos, Hina Jilani, criticou, ontem, ao apresentar seu relatório sobre a missão realizada no Brasil, o uso excessivo de força pela polícia em manifestações populares.

A ação penal acima mencionada esta em trâmite perante este MM. Juízo e o pedido de liberdade provisória em favor do Sr. Iroilton será apreciado por Vossa Excelência.

Assim, por entendermos que a liberdade provisória do mesmo não coloca em risco a ordem pública, a instrução criminal, bem como não é necessária para garantir a aplicação da lei penal, e, considerando ainda, que o Sr. Iroilton é um simples trabalhador rural, pai de família, com profissão definida, endereço fixo e bons antecedentes criminais, vimos pedir que seja concedida a liberdade provisória em favor do Sr. Iroilton, garantindo ao trabalhador o direito constitucional de responder o processo em liberdade.

Atenciosamente,

[NOME/ORG]