ceased.
175.The ongoing dialogue involving the states, the Judiciary, and civil society organizations reinforces the dynamics of interconnected
networks devoted to guaranteeing human rights, devising methods of protection, prompt attention, and establishing accountability for
reports of human rights violations. In this connection, the Ombudsman Office continues to act directly in emblematic, collective cases,
as well as in the resolution of social tensions and conflicts that involve human rights violations.
176.Hence, it is worth mentioning the role of the National Forum of Police Ombudspersons, established in 2006, integrated by
twenty police ombudspersons from the states. Between 2006 and 2012, the Forum promoted the creation of Ombudsman Offices in
Alagoas, Sergipe, the Federal District, and Paraíba. In addition, it participated in the preparation of the folder “The Police stopped
me. Now what?” and helped set up the state committees on controlling deaths under police custody in São Paulo and Maranhão.
D.Mechanism for combating torture and ill-treatment in the socio-educative system
177. Social control of the social educative system is one of the main features of the SINASE Law. In addition to inspections and
visits by the judicial authority and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Statute of the Child and the Adolescent assigned to the Rights
Councils and the Custody Councils a complementary role in the monitoring of the programmes on care and social control of public
policies geared to children and adolescents.
178.Although Brazil has no specific Ombudsman Officededicated to the rights of children and adolescents, the National Human
Rights Ombudsman Officehas taken on cases related to them. The Disque 100 , operated by the Ombudsman Office, receives
denunciations regarding the treatment of adolescents in conflict with the law. One of the priorities is to make this channel better
known by the families, in addition to the possibility of access to the Custody Councils and agencies of the Justice System and to the
SDH/PR.
179.The National Council on the Rights of Children and Adolescents (CONANDA), in conjunction with the States Councils and the
network of professional Councils and Associations, including the Bar Association, and the Federal Psychology and Social Work
Councils, are engaged in inspecting internment units. The network of professional Councils has issued public reports and published
resolutions on the establishment of uniform norms for ethical procedures to be followed by professionals in this area. Moreover,
public hearings and frequent inspections of internment units have been undertaken by parliamentary commissions in respect of human
rights.
180.Also worth mentioning are the actions aimed at strengthening the mechanisms for combating torture, consistently with SINASE
and incorporated into the Federal Government planning, including the following: (a) definition of Judicial Administrative Offices and/or
Ombudsman Office models for social-educative units; (b) mobilization of managers for the establishment of such units in their systems;
(c) mobilization of inspection entities; (d) development of a specific action plan for the social-educative system, in conjunction with the
states that have already signed a term of commitment with the Federal Government for the implementation of Mechanisms for
Combating Torture.
181.The University of Brasília (UnB) is participating in a study and definition of reference norms for the social-educative approach, to
be annexed to the SINASE National Plan, which includes: architectonic parameters for Social-educative Units; programme
pedagogical parameters; SENASE management model; and security parameters for facilities of deprivation of liberty, as well as
norms and procedures pertaining to the “social-educative -security” concept, which calls for respectful, dignified treatment of interns,
keeping in sight the vulnerability of this group.
E.Other actions by the Ministry of Justice
182.The Ministry of Justice implements three major policies toward preventing and combating torture, fostering the Community
Councils (CCs) and the State Ombudsman Offices and reactivating the National Public Security Council. It has also worked on the
revision of procedures for searching visitors to prisons.
(a)National public security councils
183.The First National Conference on Public Security, held in 2009, was a democratic landmark, as it introduced an important
mechanism that makes possible thorough social control and the full exercise of citizenship rights. At that time, the Brazilian State
defined ten principles and 40 guidelines for the National Public Security Policy.
184.To ensure ongoing civil society’s participation at the federal level, the State reactivated and restructured the National Public
Security Council (CONASP), whose membership now includes civil society and public security workers, represented by
democratically elected representatives to engage in systematic discussions of national public security policy. It should be noted that
this collegiate body’s vice president is a civil society representative freely chosen by the other members.
(b)Ombudsman offices of the penitentiary system
185.Article 5, XLIII of the Federal Constitution had already established that torture is an non bailable crime not susceptible of
pardon or amnesty, considered it an heinous crime, and exacted accountability from its executors, instigators, and all those that being
able to prevent the crime were guilty of omission. In 1997, the National Congress passed Law 9455, which defines crimes of torture
and makes other provisions regarding the types of punishment. Article 1, paragraph 4 , I, increases the sentence by one sixth to one
third if the offence is committed by a public agent, and provides for his/her loss of position, employment, or public function if
convicted, as well as prohibiting him/her from exercising his/her activity for twice the length of the sentence. These provisions reflect
the Brazilian State’s commitment with abolishing such criminal conduct, particularly in respect of civil service.
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