Prisoners question official version of Cleriston’s death

A report from the Public Defender’s Office of the Federal District (DP-DF), released this Wednesday afternoon (22), brings a series of reports from prisoners accused of having participated in the protests on January 8th that point to mistreatment and abandonment by public authorities. The detainees also confront the official version of those responsible for the Papuda Penitentiary Complex regarding the care given to businessman Cleriston Pereira da Cunha, who died on the spot after having a sudden illness.

Since January 11, the businessman’s defense had been presenting medical reports informing about his delicate health condition, including warnings about the risk of sudden death – if he did not receive adequate care outside of prison.

Due to his delicate clinical condition, he had obtained a favorable opinion from the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) on September 1st for his release. All that was left was for Alexandre de Moraes, from the Federal Supreme Court (STF), to analyze the document and proceed with provisional release. After 80 days with the document “parked” on Moraes’ desk, Cleriston died.

In the report, the Public Defender’s Office states that, during the visit, those responsible for the prison reported that care for Cleriston was quick on the morning he died, with assistance from the local medical sector and an immediate call from Samu, the Military Fire Department of the Federal District.

On the other hand, the report points out that “the prisoners, in unison, told the two Public Defenders present that the care for the prisoner was slow. There was no defibrillator at the scene, nor an oxygen cylinder.”

“They said they were gathered in the courtyard, while sunbathing, when Mr. Cleriston Pereira da Cunha began to feel ill. They also said that the criminal police officer, who took care of them, became desperate because she didn’t know how to support them and started sending messages, asking for help. They reported that his own ward colleagues tried to revive him, as one of them is a doctor and the other is a dentist, during which time Mr Cleriston managed to breathe twice. After approximately twenty-five minutes, a doctor appeared with a stethoscope and a device to measure blood pressure, instruments that were inappropriate for medical emergencies,” says the report.

The prisoners stated that it was only after around 40 minutes that the medical assistance that could have effectively saved him arrived. Cleriston, however, had already passed away.

The defenders provided care to prisoners at 7, 8, 9 and 10 – cell 8 is where the deceased businessman was held.

The prisoners also said that Cleriston – who had a history of diabetes and heart problems – was very saddened by his situation, far from his family. They stated that, when he was arrested, the businessman was taken away handcuffed and passed out, he took a long time to take the medications he was taking and that he was treated more than ten times or asked for medical attention during the time he was detained.

“He was taken to the ‘coró’, sometimes he vomited, then he felt better and was returned to his cell. He was so fragile that sometimes he was taken with the help of his colleagues to sunbathe, as there is a rule in the prison that no prisoner can stay alone in the cell while others sunbathe,” says the DP-DF document. .

In total, four public defenders went to Papuda this Tuesday (21), one day after Cleriston’s death, to “evaluate issues related to health and nutrition, the receipt of hygiene material and contacts with family members, among other matters related to to the guarantee of human rights”.

Prisoners denounce mistreatment and abandonment by public authorities

As for the situation inside the prison, the prisoners reported that they received lunch boxes “with snails and pieces of rat” – one of the prisoners claimed to have lost a tooth after biting a stone that came inside the lunch box. The majority reported needing medical, psychological and psychiatric care.

One of them, who, like Cleriston, had a favorable opinion on release three months ago, is 68 years old. He has myocarditis and five other types of comorbidities and reports only receiving paracetamol. To his defenders, he claims he lost 27 kg. He was taken to the hospital four times, but was only treated once.

Several reported needing medication or glasses, without receiving assistance. One of them reported having a narrowing of the ureter. To urinate, he needs to use a probe, but the probe is given to him, and it is up to the prisoner, without medical assistance, to pass the probe, with physical suffering and risk of infection.

This prisoner “reports that he has been without a urologist for 8 months. He noticed that the doctor only made the request for the specific doctor (urologist) on 10/18. He does not receive medication. He had several infections. Once, the nurse passed a probe so thick that he arrived back in his cell bleeding and the place became infected. He has four children, the youngest is 12 years old,” the report cites.

There are also several cases of prisoners who have asked for help to contact their family, without success.

This Wednesday, when commenting on Cleriston’s death, Minister Luís Roberto Barroso, president of the STF, avoided the Court’s responsibility for not having analyzed the businessman’s request for release – in the request, the lawyer even informed that he would keep Having him arrested would be equivalent to a “death sentence” due to his clinical condition. Barroso, however, stated that “the administration of the penitentiary system is not the responsibility of the Judiciary”.

Complaints about food problems are recurring

Matter of People’s Gazette of October 17th already brought complaints from lawyers for those detained after the acts of vandalism that occurred on the 8th regarding the lunch boxes offered in the prison units of the Papuda Penitentiary Complex, in Brasília. According to reports sent to the reporter, the lunch boxes given to the inmates contained not only food, but also pieces of rats, stones and even broken glass.

Furthermore, in February, the Public Defender’s Office of the Federal District had already reported the poor food and hygiene conditions at the Federal District Women’s Penitentiary, known as Colmeia.

In October, the Penitentiary Administration Secretariat (Seape) responded in a note that food contracts are strictly monitored by the Complex’s managers. However, in relation to the specific facts reported, Seape/DF chose not to comment. Check out the note in full.