08.06.2009
Court releases the political prisoners of Pará

After 44 days in prison, the Justice Tribunal in Para releases
the imprisoned workers affected by the Tucuruí dam

After huge pressure and an equally strong national and international solidarity campaign, the four imprisoned workers were granted habeas corpus on Monday June 8, by the Pará State Justice Tribunal. The workers affected by the Tucuruí dam had been in prison since April 26.

The workers were imprisoned during a mobilization demanding respect of their rights which have been violated for more than 25 years after the construction of the Hydroelectric Dam of Tucurui. In total, 18 people were arrested on April 26 and on May 15, fourteen of them were released. The four who remained in prison until last Monday, were allegedly leaders of social movements. This argument confirms the denunciations that the imprisonments were politically motivated in an effort of the state of criminalize human rights campaigners.

All these 25 years that the people affected by Tucuruí demand the respect of their rights, big multinational companies like Alcoa and Vale, have been and continue benefiting by subsidised energy produced in this plant. These electro-intensive companies pay on average R$ 0,05 (1.8 Euro cents) per KWh while the Brazilian people pay on average R$ 0.50 (18 Euro cents) per KWh. The coordination of the Movement of Dam Affected People wants to highlight that the release of the four, was the result of a massive solidarity campaign which pressured and convinced the authorities that the struggle of these workers and farmers is legitimate and fair.