MST’s Jaime Amorim released!

[08/28/2006] Superior Justice Tribunal (STJ) decides in favor of Jaime Amorim

A short while ago, the Superior Justice Tribunal (STJ) announced its decision to revoke the preventative imprisonment of Jaime Amorim, of the MST’s National Coordinating Body, detained since last Monday. The decision by Minister Nilson Naves comes in response to the filing of habeas corpus by Amorim’s lawyers.

In his decision, Minister Naves pointed to the failure to demonstrate justification for preventative imprisonment. “With respect to the reasoning behind his detainment – ‘the protection of public order’ – the imprisonment has no logical or concrete justification. If the client [Amorim] intended to put at risk the public order, given the length of time between the original crime he is accused of committing, and the date of his detainment, obviously, he would have done so already”, read the decision.

Last week Judge Gustavo Augusto Lima, of the 3rd Regional Tribunal of Justice of Pernambuco, denied the request for Jaime Amorim’s release, based on his review of the habeas corpus filed. After the negative results at this level, Amorim’s lawyers filed habeas corpus with the Superior Justice Tribunal.

In the opinion of Darci Frigo, coordinator of Terra de Direitos [Land of Rights], the legal entity working in Amorim’s defense, “The STJ recognized what that the social movements and Parliamentarians had already been affirming, that Jaime Amorim’s detainment was arbitrary and unfounded”.

Amorim’s lawyers are going through all the necessary steps so that his release will take place no later than today, August 28th.

The original version of this text is available (in Portuguese) by visiting:
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For more details from other sources (in Portuguese), visit:
The MST's Website –
http://www.mst.org.br/informativos/minforma/ultimas2297.htm

Brazil's Folha de Sao Paulo –
http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/brasil/ult96u82079.shtml