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Brazil's Dilma Rousseff approves truth commission law | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has signed a law creating a truth commission to investigate human rights abuses, including those committed during military rule in 1964-85. | Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has signed a law creating a truth commission to investigate human rights abuses, including those committed during military rule in 1964-85. |
The commission will have the power to summon witnesses under oath and access all government documents. | The commission will have the power to summon witnesses under oath and access all government documents. |
But an amnesty law means its findings will not lead to any prosecutions. | But an amnesty law means its findings will not lead to any prosecutions. |
More than 400 Brazilians were killed under military rule. Ms Rousseff was among thousands who were tortured. | More than 400 Brazilians were killed under military rule. Ms Rousseff was among thousands who were tortured. |
"For generations of Brazilians who died, we honour them today not through a process of revenge, but through a process of building truth and memory," Ms Rousseff said during a ceremony at the presidential palace. | "For generations of Brazilians who died, we honour them today not through a process of revenge, but through a process of building truth and memory," Ms Rousseff said during a ceremony at the presidential palace. |
"The truth about our past is fundamental, so those facts that stain our history will never happen again," she added. | "The truth about our past is fundamental, so those facts that stain our history will never happen again," she added. |
Secrecy | Secrecy |
President Rousseff will appoint the seven-member commission, which will have two years to complete its report on abuses between 1946 and 1988. | President Rousseff will appoint the seven-member commission, which will have two years to complete its report on abuses between 1946 and 1988. |
She also approved a Law of Access to Public Information, which lifts the indefinite secrecy of public documents, making them open to the public after a maximum of 50 years. | She also approved a Law of Access to Public Information, which lifts the indefinite secrecy of public documents, making them open to the public after a maximum of 50 years. |
The truth commission was proposed under the previous president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. | The truth commission was proposed under the previous president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. |
At the time, military commanders were reported to be unhappy at the proposal, fearing it would threaten the 1979 amnesty law that protects the armed forces - as well as former left-wing rebels - from prosecution for political violence. | At the time, military commanders were reported to be unhappy at the proposal, fearing it would threaten the 1979 amnesty law that protects the armed forces - as well as former left-wing rebels - from prosecution for political violence. |
Some human rights groups have expressed disappointment that the commission's investigation will not be followed by prosecutions, as has happened in other South American countries. | Some human rights groups have expressed disappointment that the commission's investigation will not be followed by prosecutions, as has happened in other South American countries. |
More than 400 people were either killed or abducted and never seen again during military rule in Brazil - a far smaller number than in neighbouring Argentina and Chile. | More than 400 people were either killed or abducted and never seen again during military rule in Brazil - a far smaller number than in neighbouring Argentina and Chile. |
But thousands of Brazilians were tortured, exiled or deprived of their political rights. | But thousands of Brazilians were tortured, exiled or deprived of their political rights. |
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