Gateway Pundit spoke to one of the lawyers defending the “Lulag” prisoners in Brasilia, Dr. Claudio Luis Caiano from São Paulo, Brazil, representing the legal organization SouLivre (I’m Free). Caiano says the dentention without evidence of around 700 detainees is a “clear violation of legal standards” and that detainees will be entitled to damages.
How many prisoners are being held?
The number of prisoners reached 1389 and our group helped 16. 9 have already been released, but we still have 6 men and 1 woman in preventive detention.
What are the charges? Is there any evidence?
The charges range from incitement to crime and criminal association to overthrow of the democratic state and terrorism. There is no evidence for any of the accusations. They were generalized in a way that the conduct was not individualized. This is forbidden in the Brazilian legal system and in the federal constitution.
How were the prisoners treated?
They were tricked. First, it must be said that the Army police protected them outside the Army HQ because the Army Chief of staff, General Arruda, did not agree with the arrests. An intense discussion took place, and an agreement was reached that the detainees would be sorted and released later.
However, they were then tricked into getting on the buses without realizing they were being arrested. They were promised they would be taken to a safe place.
There was no presence of any representative of human rights NGOs, or of lawyers of the Bar Association, who only appeared on Tuesday.
At the Federal Police gym, they received nothing but water and a ration that they called food. It was inedible.
Is it true they were force-vaxxed?
No. It was a mainstream media rumour.
Do they have access to lawyers?
Yes. At no time did the Federal Police prevent lawyers’ access.
Will there be a trial?
This is a difficult question to answer. They are all being charged under Case 4879, which is an investigation of anti-democratic acts. It is being handled by the Supreme Court under the Chair of Chief Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
This is a serious attack on the Brazilian legal system. These political prisoners deserve to be treated as any citizen, meaning, they should be arraigned in district court, not by the Supreme Court. This is a clear violation of legal standards.
Is it true detainees have died?
No. Fortunately, this was hearsay. Approximately 30 people received emergency medical treatment and some were sent to the hospital, but there were no deaths.
Is it true a detainee attempted suicide?
Yes. A young man of approximately 30 years slashed his wrists, but fortunately, the cuts were superficial.
Where are the children being held?
Around 700 detainees remain in prison. When they were tricked into getting on the buses, there were women, children, old people. Elderly people and children were released on Monday and Tuesday. There were even some pets that had been adopted by the “dangerous” protesters.
Are there any human rights organizations involved?
Only lawyers have access to prisoners. No other organizations are involved. We have an association called SouLivre, just starting up, without any funding or donations yet. That’s how we are defending prisoners.
The prisoners who were released were ordered to use electronic ankle bracelets, observe a 10 pm curfew, maintain a determined perimeter and not to meet with other demonstrators.
The note prisoners were made to sign has an unfortunate name “Admission of guilt”, but the idea is for the detainee to be aware of what he is being accused of by the State.
It should be noted that the proof rests with the accuser. The State, in what is clearly a fishing expedition, seized all their cell phones for investigation.
In the future, these detainees will be entitled to compensation for inhuman, unreasonable, illegal and insidious treatment, which violates the American Convention on Human Rights, the 4th Geneva Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
We will pursue this case through all instances.