The Humanitas360 Institute, alongside various civil society organizations and lawmakers, supported and promoted a public hearing on June 25 at the São Paulo State Legislative Assembly in memory of victims of torture and in defense of human rights in places of deprivation of liberty. Organized by state representative Eduardo Suplicy (PT-SP), the event marked the eve of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed on June 26.
The date recalls the commitments made by States through the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, in force since 1987. São Paulo, the state with the largest prison population in the country and marked by countless reports of abuse across different places of deprivation of liberty, is a decisive setting for this debate.
The panel brought together authorities, legal professionals, and activists from various organizations working in defense of human rights in Brazil. Among the voices present, Geralda Ávila, of Pastoral Carcerária, warned that violence and torture in the prison system constitute a chronic and structural humanitarian crisis, manifested both in physical aggression and in the degrading conditions imposed on the incarcerated population. Miriam Duarte, one of the founders of Amparar, stressed that the lack of information sickens and kills, marginalizing and criminalizing the families of incarcerated people.
The debate also called for greater action from public authorities directed at the prison population. State representative Paula da Bancada Ativista (PSOL) defended better health conditions in prisons, while expert Carolina Lemos, of the National Mechanism to Prevent and Combat Torture, highlighted the importance of documentation and regular oversight as preventive tools against violence.
The event is also part of the collective effort of civil society organizations to monitor the implementation of the National Pena Justa (Just Sentence) Plan, launched by the Federal Government in 2025 with targets to combat overcrowding, improve prison infrastructure, and promote social reintegration.
The hearing was supported by and counted on the participation of the São Paulo State Legislative Assembly, Instituto Pro Bono, Amparar, Anatesp, Conectas, IDDD, Iniciativa Negra, ITTC, Plataforma Justa, Pastoral Carcerária Nacional, and Reflexões da Liberdade.
Watch the videos of the hearing sessions below:
(Photo Credits: Rodrigo Romeo / Alesp)
