Moraes signs release permit for 8/1 prisoner who has cancer

Arrested since February 3, 2023, without complaint, after having covered, live, the events of January 8 on his social networks, the journalist from Rondônia, William Ferreira da Silva, aged 59, was granted a license release signed by the minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Alexandre de Moraes, this Tuesday (23).

The information was confirmed to People’s Gazette by the journalist’s lawyer, Hélio Junior.

To Gazeta, the lawyer explained that William is strongly suspected of having prostate cancer and has edema in his lungs, which is why he has been hospitalized for at least five days without any expectation of medical discharge.

When leaving prison, after medical clearance, William must wear an electronic monitoring anklet. The journalist is detained at the Military Police Correction Complex (CCPM) in Rondônia.

“Regrettably, after repeated requests for release, after going to international courts, the third request for release will be met by wearing an ankle bracelet, only going home after discharge from hospital. He was unable to perform more specific biopsies because since the beginning of the year Minister Alexandre de Moraes completely blocked his retirement,” said the lawyer, remembering that William is a retired police officer.

“William is going home to take care of his family. He is married and has four children. Now, he is fighting for his life”, added the lawyer.

William lost a brother to the same disease he is now fighting against. The journalist’s brother died on October 29, 2023.

The president of the Human Rights Commission of the OAB of Rondônia, Luiz Carlos Teodoro, even visited William at the Military Police Correction Complex (CCPM), in Porto Velho, and stated that the journalist’s arrest violates the Federal Constitution.

In an interview with a local media outlet, Teodoro explained that the Criminal Procedure Code (CPP) presents requirements and deadlines for maintaining preventive detention, which was not followed in the case in question. “It is a violation of human rights,” he warned.

William’s situation also refers to the case of businessman Cleriston Pereira, who died on November 20, 2022 after suffering a sudden illness while sunbathing in Papuda, where he had been preventively detained for ten months on suspicion of involvement in the acts of the 8th. of January.

Due to comorbidities, Cleriston even received a favorable opinion from the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) for his release. The request for provisional release was sent to Moraes at the end of August 2023 and was awaiting analysis by the minister.

The minister also ignored several medical warnings about the prisoner’s risk of sudden illness if he did not receive adequate treatment.