Wagner dos Santos, 23, a key witness to the killing of 8 street children in Rio de Janeiro in July 1994 (the “Candelaria massacre”), was shot and seriously wounded on 9 December 1994. He claims to have been abducted by plainclothes policemen, who beat and then shot him. The policemen apparently made it clear that they were shooting him for having identified their colleagues involved in the 1993 killings. Wagner dos Santos remains seriously ill in intensive care. AI is concerned for his safety and is calling for him and other witnesses to the “Candelaria massacre” to receive adequate protection.
