Brazil: Human rights violations and the health professions

The attached paper summarizes Amnesty International's concerns about the role of the medical profession in Brazil in the documentation of human rights violations and in their prevention. It reviews the recent history of human rights abuses and the failures of medical personnel to contribute to the exposure of these abuses and the obstacles that may prevent them from doing so. Information is given about recent attempts to discipline doctors for their involvement in human rights violations in the 1970s during the period of military rule. Recent proposals to make forensic services independent of the police secretariats are described. Case studies illustrate Amnesty International's concerns. The report concludes that medical professionals can make a significant contribution to the defence of human rights in Brazil provided certain reforms are made to strengthen professional independence and accountability. A number of doctors, forensic pathologists and other health professionals have, despite all institutional and material obstacles worked hard to document and expose evidence of human rights violations. It is hoped that with the removal of some of these obstacles more health professionals will be able to contribute their skills to ensure wider respect for human rights in Brazil.