Torture May Become Crime, Thanks To Video

The government Friday accelerated approval of two human rights measures in the wake of nationally televised video footage depicting police brutality in Sao Paulo.

The Senate approved a law Friday that would make torture a crime, while a constitutional amendment that would make human rights violations a federal crime was approved in committee.

Both measures had been shelved in Congress, until amateur videos, aired Monday on TV Globo, shocked Brazilians with their graphic depictions of police brutality, said Cavallaro.

In the videos, police were seen shaking down drivers at a roadblock, beating a number of them, shooting two men and killing one.

Currently, torture is not a crime in Brazil and police, tried in special military courts, can be charged only with assault and battery.