Justice convicts responsible for torturing team from O Dia

Former police officers Odin Fernandes da Silva and Davi Liberato de Araújo were convicted for being part of the militia that kidnapped and tortured a team of journalists from newspaper O Dia at the Batan Favela, Rio de Janeiro, on May last year. Judge Alexandre Abrahão convicted both to 31 years in prison on August 12.

Policeman Silva was also sentenced to forfeiture of the office. In the sentence, the judge said that the suspects constrained the victims by the use of violence and serious threat, causing physical and mental suffering to obtain information. Besides the torture, the militia stole personal items that were not recovered.

Arrested by the Police Station to the Suppression of Organized Criminal Acts and Special Investigations (Draco-IE), during the Operation Eagle Nest ,  triggered in June 2008, both are currently in prison, at Complexo de Gericinó.

The newspaper team lived in the slum for two weeks to investigate the actions of the local militia. The professionals were kidnapped, tortured and kept in prison by the criminals.

The Abraji, Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism, congratulates the decision of Justice and adds that the punishment of the guilty persons is crucial to avoid new attacks on journalists and violations of freedom of expression.

Militias are military organizations composed by common citizens that in theory are not part of the armed forces of a country. In Rio de Janeiro, the term militia has been associated with ilegal practices. They are usually groups formed in urban and poor communties, such as favelas, under the allegation of fighting drug traffic. They are financiated by the local population under the promise of protection.