Document - Brazil : "Work as usual" for Amnesty International, following threats from Brazil's extreme right

News Service: 027/00

AI INDEX: AMR 19/03/00
9 February 2000

"Work as usual" for Amnesty International, following threats from Brazil's extreme right

"Threats against our São Paulo office will not affect our campaigning for human rights in Brazil," Amnesty International said today.

An extreme right group renewed its threats against Amnesty International's São Paulo staff in a letter to the Folha de São Paulo newspaper on 5 February. The organization has been the target of threats since October 1999 when a bomb was planted in its São Paulo office.

"The safety of our Brazilian staff is paramount, and -- as soon as the first threat was received --- we immediately took security measures which are under constant review," said Javier Zúñiga, Program Director for the America Region.

"In the mean time, it is work as usual here in London, where our research and campaigning program is based. Our friends and colleagues in the Brazilian human rights community can continue to rely on our full support."

A police investigation has been opened into the threats against Amnesty International. Members of gay rights organizations have also received threats. Last year, two men were arrested for maintaining a web-site running a hate campaign against gays, blacks and Jews.

Amnesty International urges the authorities to conduct exhaustive investigations into the threats and for those responsible to be brought to justice.

ENDS.../

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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office: +44 171 413 5562
Website: http://www.amnesty.org

Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street, WC1X 0DW, London, United Kingdom

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