Minister defends use of equipment, but says court decision should not be reversed at request of public defender’s office
The Minister of the STF (Federal Supreme Court) Roberto Barroso denied, this Saturday (30 December 2023), an action by the Public Defense Office of the State of São Paulo which called for the mandatory use of body cameras by the army of San Paolo Traffic Police.
According to the minister, the ombudsman’s request was rejected because it was not the best way to annul the SP Court’s decision. Here is the full text (PDF – 206 kB).
The Chief Justice wrote: “It does not seem appropriate to us at this moment to intervene with the exceptional means of this Presidency, as the ordinary means have not yet been exhausted. […] In short: according to this Presidency the use of cameras is very important and should be encouraged. However, the urgent and exceptional intervention to suspend the injunction is not justified.”
Barroso also states that if he accepted the Ombudsman’s request, the decision would have consequences “of a financial and operational nature” complex and which could not be “Appropriately measured in this procedural path”.
Despite the denial, Barroso defends the use of electronic equipment. “On the one hand, the use of this equipment increases the transparency of operations, curbing abuses by police forces and reducing the number of deaths in conflict regions. On the other hand, it serves as protection for the police officers themselves.”does not contain any documents.
One of the contexts that require the use of cameras is Operation Escudo, carried out in Baixada Santista. The way it was conducted sparked outrage in social movements, such as Mães de Maio, in various bodies and entities that defend human rights.
In September, the president of the TJ-SP (São Paulo Court of Justice), Ricardo Anafe, canceled the injunction forcing state military police officers to wear cameras on their uniforms. Here is the full decision (PDF – 727 kB).
The measure was intended to prevent abuse by officers. The injunction gave the São Paulo government a period of 3 months to implement the measure.
2023-12-30 22:56:36
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