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two men were brought to a local farm where the other previously arrested agricultural workers
were reportedly held. They were all allegedly beaten with a gun butt, knives and machine-guns
for four hours. The farm’s employees were allegedly incited to kick them and to verbally
threaten them. One of the movement’s leaders was allegedly submerged in water. It is reported
that he was slapped on the ears and punched for five hours. According to the information
received, on 14 November 1998, at 1.00 a.m., they were all taken to the police station at
Wanderlândia. They reportedly underwent an official medical examination which allegedly
registered lesions and marks consistent with the allegations.
331. Raimundo Lima de Sousa, an agricultural worker, was allegedly sentenced for the
murder of a civil police officer and reportedly taken to the police station at Conceição do
Araguaia, state of Pará, on 22 July 1998 and to the police station in Couto Magalhães, state of
Tocantins, the next day. According to the information received, on 25 July 1998, two civil
police officers and two police chiefs went to the police station, allegedly to transfer him to the
police station in Colina, state of São Paulo when he reportedly died in his cell the same day.
According to the police officials, he committed suicide. On 25 July, a medical examination was
reportedly performed which supported the allegation of suicide. An inquiry was allegedly
opened. Prior to his death, he had reportedly told two persons that he was being threatened with
death and was afraid of being murdered on the way to Colina. According to the information
received, new testimonies reinforced the hypothesis of police torture. The state attorney
reportedly requested exhumation of the body. The Special Rapporteur would be grateful to
receive information about the outcome of the inquiry.
332. Manoel Ribeiro Santana was allegedly arrested in Palmas on 7 January 1997 on
suspicion of theft and taken to the 1st district police station. He was reportedly forced to sign a
confession after having been kicked, punched and his head submerged in water. He was then
allegedly transferred to the police station at Miranorte where he was kept handcuffed.
Antônio Abreu de Carvalho, a 25-year-old salesman, was allegedly arrested at his house on
8 January 1998 at around 6.00 a.m., on suspicion of having bought a stolen sound machine from
Manoel Ribeiro Santana. He was reportedly taken to an isolated area and beaten. He was
allegedly taken to the police station and subsequently released. He is said to have been taken by
his father to a hospital and then back to his house. At around 2.00 p.m., two police officers
reportedly arrived at his house, took him to the police station to interrogate him and requested
200,000 reais from his father to close the case. The latter is said to have accepted and the son
was allegedly taken again to the hospital, where it is believed that a doctor told him that he
should look for another hospital. It is reported that he was transferred to another hospital where
he allegedly died on the same day. His body is reported to have undergone an official medical
examination which registered lesions compatible with the allegations. Two inquiries are said
to have been opened. Although one of the inquiries allegedly accused two civil police officers,
they have reportedly not been arrested. The other inquiry allegedly identifies two civil police
officers and two police chiefs as responsible but is said to be still in process. The
Special Rapporteur would be grateful to receive information about the outcome of the inquiries.
333. Deumir do Santo Pereira Freitas, a private security guard, was allegedly arrested by
two civil police officers at his workplace in Palmas on 22 November 1999 on suspicion of theft.
He was reportedly handcuffed and taken to a thicket area near a bridge where he is believed to
have been punched several times in his stomach by a police officer in order to make him confess.
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