On Tuesday (13), the Justice Ministry granted the status of political refugee to the Italian citizen Cesare Battisti, whose extradition had been requested by the Italian government. An ex-member of a left group, he was condemned for 4 murders committed in the 70es. Battisti, jailed at the Penitenciária da Papuda (Papuda Prison), in Brasília, will be released and allowed to live in Brazil.

On Wednesday (8), the president of the Committee on Human Rights and Minorities of the Chamber, Deputy Pompeo de Mattos (PDT-RS), released an official note in favor of that decision. According to him, there is no doubt that Battisti suffered political persecution in Italy, and therefore the recognition of his status as a refugee was “an act of grandness and a courageous attitude”.

According to the deputy, “Battisti is a citizen of the world”, and Brazil cannot be bellicose, since this country should incentive “understanding, plurality and sensibility”.

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The president of the Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense, Deputy Marcondes Gadelha (PSB-PB), affirmed that that episode will serve as a basis for the Legislative to elaborate laws on the situation of political refugees.

“We will use that fact to discuss again that subject and to elaborate a clearer and more explicit legislation on the conditions for the granting of the status of political refugee. I will take that case into debate in our first meeting in February”, he informed.

The decision of the Ministry of Justice caused polemics. The president of the Senate, Garibaldi Alves Filho, classified that attitude as unthought-of, since the Attorney’s General Office had expressed an opposite opinion. He also fears unfavorable consequences for Brazil in diplomatic relations with Italy.

Report - Geórgia Moraes/Rádio Câmara
Editing - João Pitella Junior
Translation – Positive Idiomas Ltda