State Violence, Torture, and Political Prisoners: On the Role Played by Amnesty International in Brazil During the Dictatorship (1964-1985) (Crimes of the Powerful)

This book discusses the activities of Amnesty International during the period of Brazil's dictatorship (1964-85). During the dictatorship, Amnesty assisted political prisoners who were submitted to torture and helped to publicize charges of torture against agents of the military regime's repressive apparatus. Through a specific examination of Amnesty's work on Brazilian political prisoners, this book explores how Amnesty adapted its organizational principles - such as non-violence and the focus on individual cases - during this time. In 1967, Amnesty experienced a severe internal crisis, which prompted the organization to make structural changes. These changes enabled Amnesty to expand its activities beyond Europe to Latin America, including Brazil. This book examines one of Amnesty International's first major campaigns against torture, and the impact this had on the organization's development of a new agenda. Bringing a critical and historical perspective on Amnesty's work, this book contributes to the debate on the role of human rights organisations in addressing human rights abuses worldwide. It makes a significant contribution to international research on state crime, human rights, and torture.

• | Author: Renata Meirelles
• | Publisher: Routledge
• | Publication Date: October 7, 2019
• | Number of Pages: 152 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Hardcover
• | ISBN-10: 0815353715
• | ISBN-13: 9780815353713