Brazil: Prisoners extrajudicially executed in Democracia (Amazonas State)

Three escaped prisoners, Mario Cesar Bastos, Deusmar Demo (“Capixaba”) and Roselei Fernandes Rosa, were killed on 6 September 1992 in Democracia, Amazonas State, in circumstances that indicate they were extrajudicially executed. They had escaped from a jail in Manicore village. A military police patrol who recaptured them on the outskirts of the village of Democracia, had allegedly told local witnesses that they “had orders” to kill the escaped prisoners. Instead of taking the prisoners back to Manicore, they took them by foot towards the village of Jatuarana. Witnesses report that they saw the police take them onto a dirt track, and shots were heard. People who denounced the killings have been subjected to death threats. Initial investigations were allegedly cursory.

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