Request for federal jurisdiction in case of murder of Brazilian journalist gets IAPA support

Miami (September 10, 2013)—Support was given today by the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) regarding a plea requesting a federal court hearing in the case of the murder of Brazilian journalist Valério Luiz de Oliveira. The IAPA backed the petition made by the sports reporter’s son, and lawyer, Valério Luiz Filho, who during a public hearing held on September 3 in the Goiás State Legislative Assembly, reported on the difficulties and pressures faced by courts to solve the crime committed in 2012. In February this year, authorities arrested businessman Mauricio Borges Sampai, former vice president of the soccer team Atlético Clube Goianense and head of a leading notary public’s office in the city. According to the investigation, it is presumed that Urbano de Carvalho Malta and Military Police Sergeant Djalma da Silva arranged the murder with the support of butcher Marcus Cinícius Pereira Xavier and Military Police Corporal Ademá Figueiredo. In May all those allegedly implicated were released from jail under a habeas corpus action. Luiz de Oliveira was killed on July 5, 2012 in Goiânia when leaving the Radio Jornal AM radio station where he worked. The motive for the crime seems to be related to his criticism of the soccer club’s leadership. The chairman of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, Claudio Paolillo, said his organization “supports the initiative to request that the trial be held at a federal level, in order to ensure greater transparency in a case involving public figures.” The IAPA’s petition appears plausible since on December 8, 2004 Brazil’s Congress amended the Constitution and established that the handling of crimes against human rights- among these the murder of journalists -be done under federal jurisdiction, at the request of Brazil’s Attorney General . Currently, the Brazilian legislature is studying initiatives of constitutional amendments and bills to establish the competence of federal judges to hear and rule on cases of crimes against journalists who are killed on duty and for the amendment of the Penal Code to ensure that these trials are held with speed. The participation of the Federal Police in the investigation of these crimes when there is an omission or inefficiency in the areas under their responsibility is also under discussion. Paolillo, editor of the Montevideo, Uruguay, weekly Búsqueda, added that the IAPA “is also requesting follow up regarding the trial of the 11 people charged with taking part in the murder of Décio Sá,” which occurred on April 23, 2012 in São Luís, in Maranhão state. The IAPA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the defense and promotion of freedom of the press and of expression in the Americas. It is made up of more than 1,300 print publications from throughout the Western Hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida. For more information please go to http://www.sipiapa.org.