MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US condemns Brazilian police

The Brazilian police, particularly at state level, commit all sort of atrocities and are the greatest threat to human rights in the country according to the annual United States Congressional report on Human Rights.

"State police forces committed gross abuses and excesses during 2001" reads the US report on human rights conditions in the world.

The Federal government on the other hand "was more respectful of citizens human rights", but this did not impede abuse and impunity in other state police forces.

Brazilian civilian policemen and in uniform have been involved in extra judicial killings, torture and beating of suspects, plus arbitrary arrests. Police forces in most of Brazil are also involved in all sort of crimes including death squads, kidnapping and drug peddling.

In April 2001, Nigel Rodley, United Nations expert in torture documented several examples of police torture and criticized the Brazilian government for not correcting the situation.

Violence and beatings are rampant in the jail system and the Brazilian government has consistently looked the other way according to human rights activists.

Special courts for uniformed policemen are overworked and rarely investigate crimes, and hardly ever find the accused guilty, "which leads to a climate of impunity" and abuse, read the US report.

The Brazilian Judicial system has a long back log of cases and can't guarantee a quick and fair trial. "Justice is often not very reliable particularly when powerful economic interests are at stake".

Other human rights problems in Brazil include home violence and discrimination against women; under age abuse and children prostitution; lack of protection for indigenous population; discrimination against blacks and violence against homosexuals.