Monday, December 15, 2014

Brazilian military court pushes back on Truth Commission report

The judges of the Superior Military Tribunal of Brazil have issued a statement disputing portions of the recent report of the National Truth Commission that were critical of the military court during the dictatorship. According to El Diario:
The Superior Military Court (STM) today criticized as "false, unfair and wrong" the final report on human rights violations during the last dictatorship in the country (1964-1985) that was released last week by the National Truth Commission.
Brazil's highest military court said in a statement that the National Truth Commission erred in classifying military justice as "the judicial rear guard to repression" and in accusing the court of being "tolerant of or remiss with respect to allegations of serious violations of human rights."
According to the note, the terms used by the Commission in referring to the court are "false, unfair and wrong" because, in its view, military justice "had no major role in the implementation of persecution and political sanctions nor was it considered competent to try civilians accused of crimes against national security."
According to the military judges, cases contained in the court's files show that military courts guaranteed principles and human rights during that period.
"Military justice has always shown independence, courage and fairness in judging," said the statement.
The final report of the National Truth Commission, delivered last week after two years and seven months, says the dictatorship that ruled Brazil between 1964 and 1985 left 434 dead and missing. [Rough Google translation]

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