[JURIST] Brazil’s National Truth Commission [official website, in Portuguese] released a report [press release, in Portuguese] on Wednesday declaring that state agents engaged in human rights violations between 1964 and 1985 when the country was under military rule. The human rights violations include enforced disappearances, torture, sexual violence, executions and hiding bodies. At least 434 people are believed to have died or gone missing during this period, and 210 bodies have never been found [BBC report]. The report also urges the prosecution of those who were involved in the violations. The commission began investigating the abuses in May 2012, gathering thousands of testimonies and holding public hearings throughout 20 Brazilian states. Brazil’s current President, Dilma Rousseff [official website, in Portuguese] was one of the victims tortured and imprisoned [AP report] during the 1970s.

Years after military rule, Brazil continues to struggle with alleged human rights violations. In May an Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] global survey analyzing attitudes towards torture in 141 countries found that 80 percent [JURIST report] of Brazilian citizens fear torture if arrested, a higher percentage than any country. In April AI expressed concern over an anti-terrorism bill presented in the Brazilian National Congress, alleging the law would threaten [JURIST report] free speech and peaceful assembly. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] in January urged the Brazilian government to investigate [JURIST report] the killings of inmates after a prison riot. In 2013 the UN also expressed concern [JURIST report] over excessive detention and lack of legal assistance in Brazil.