Judge prevents lawyers from protesting against abuses in protesters’ lawsuits

A group of lawyers who defend demonstrators arrested for alleged participation in the attack on the Three Powers buildings on January 8th organized a demonstration for this Thursday morning (02) in front of the Papuda Penitentiary Complex, in Brasília, to protest against alleged irregularities and abuses in processes involving its clients.

>> Be part of the Life and Citizenship channel on Telegram

Denunciations of abusive measures by the Judiciary made by lawyers for the demonstrators have recently led to a request for measures from the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) to STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered the arrests.

With the abuses remaining, the protest was scheduled, but did not take place due to “legal intimidation”, as organizers of the demonstration told the People’s Gazette. Upon learning of the organization of the act, the judge of the Criminal Execution Court of the Federal District, Leila Cury, determined “necessary measures” to the State Department of Penitentiary Administration (Seape) of the DF “to prevent the holding of a demonstration inside the Penitentiary Complex from Papuda”.

The judge claimed that “there is no news of any failure or irregularity in the procedures that ensure that people in custody have access to assistance by lawyers or defenders”. “Nothing justifies, therefore, the holding of a demonstration by some Lawyers within the Papuda Penitentiary Complex, other than an attempt to destabilize and attack order within the entire prison system of the DF”, she said.

In her decision, she ordered measures to be taken by Seape to prevent the protests and determined strict control of people’s access to Papuda. This Thursday (02), only those who had previously booked entered the Complex.

In addition to Seape, the magistrate’s decision was forwarded to the Commander-General of the Military Police of the DF, the acting governor of the Federal District, the OAB section and the Public Ministry of the Federal District and Territories (MPDFT) for them to adopt ” appropriate measures” to “ensure the maintenance of order and stability in the DF prison system”.

Lawyers say “war operation” was set up to prevent acts

Lawyer Ezequiel Silveira, one of the organizers of the demonstration, told the report that the difficulties in assisting lawyers and irregularities in procedural matters, in particular regarding the lack of access to the prisoners’ procedural records, persist.

This Wednesday (1), he also made a complaint to the OAB-DF alleging mistreatment of 142 women arrested after the demonstrations that are in the Women’s Penitentiary of the Federal District, known as “Colmeia”. According to the defender, there would be only one sink, two cold showers and three toilets, one of them clogged, for use by all the detainees. He also reported that there are detainees sleeping on the floor and eating in poor conditions.

recently the People’s Gazette showed the report of lawyers who stated that they are unable to deliver hygiene kits in sufficient quantity to prisons. Prisoners had to use plastic bags as pads or go up to a week without changing underwear.

It was because of these alleged abuses that the lawyers decided to come forward. They claim, however, that the protest was scheduled for in front of the prison and not inside, as reported by the judge.

The President of the Order of Conservative Lawyers of Brazil (OACB), Geraldo Barral, highlighted that the OACB supported the act outside the prison. “The judge was led astray, jeopardizing single visits without any fair reason. Who lied to her that there would be a demonstration inside the prison?”, he asked.

To the report, Seape confirmed that there was no record of a demonstration in the Complex this Thursday. The OAB branch in the Federal District, on the other hand, only informed, in a note, that the “OAB/DF Prerogatives Board, in agreement with SEAPE/DF, guaranteed administrative assistance to the lawyers, to be carried out in cases of need”.