Carandiru massacre

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The Carandiru massacre took place on Friday, October 2, 1992 in Carandiru Penitentiary in São Paulo, Brazil, and is considered a major human rights violation in the history of Brazil.

The massacre was triggered by a revolution of sorts in the prison, incited by prisoners. As the prison riot became harder to control, the Military Police stormed Carandiru. The result was that 111 prisoners were killed, 102 from gunshots fired by Military Police and nine from stab wounds, apparently inflicted by other prisoners before the arrival of the police. None of the sixty eight police were killed. Survivors claimed that the police also fired at inmates who already surrendered or tried to hide in their cells.[1]

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[edit] Aftermath

The commanding officer of the operation, colonel Ubiratan Guimarães, was initially sentenced to 620 years in prison for his handling of the rebellion and massacre. On 16 February 2006 a Brazilian court voided Guimarães' conviction due to mistrial claims; the court accepted his argument that he was only following orders. Several human rights groups labeled the situation as a "step backward" and a contribution to the culture of impunity regarding police violence in Brazil. Guimarães, who was also a member of the São Paulo state legislature, was assassinated in September 2006, in a crime apparently unrelated to the Carandiru event.[2]

The massacre led to consternation amongst other Brazilian inmates, some of whom formed a criminal organization called the First Command of the Capital in 1994.

The prison was demolished on December 9, 2002.

[edit] Cultural references

  • These events are documented in the book "Estação Carandiru" by Dr. Dráuzio Varella and inspired the 2002 movie Carandiru.
  • These events also were spoken about in the song "Manifest" on the Chaos A.D. album by Brazilian thrash metal band Sepultura.
  • There are also mentions by the group Racionais in their songs "Diario de um Detento" and "Vida Loca III", and also in the song "19 Rebellions" by British group Asian Dub Foundation.
  • Season 3 of the Fox television show "Prison Break" modeled the Sona, "a hellish Panamanian prison where there are no rules, no guards and no escape" was inspired by the actual Carandiru Prison in Brazil (Fox.com)..

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Brazil jail massacre: Policeman convicted", OBBC, 30 June 2001. 
  2. ^ "Polícia investiga ligações da mãe de Carla Cepollina", O Globo, September 21, 2006. 

[edit] External links

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