Following the conclusion of the 50th session on Pandemic and Authoritarianism, held at the University of São Paulo, the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) issued a judgment last September which, based on witnesses and the voices of the Brazilian communities, has recognized President Jair Bolsonaro liable for serious crimes against humanity concerning his management of Covid-19, and his political use of the pandemic against marginalized and indigenous populations. These strategies by the former Brazilian president have resulted in the deaths of thousands of people. Upon request of the Anrs Commission, the intervention of the PPT in Brazil, as well as creating a unique space for the voices of the affected communities, represents a very meaningful initiative for health justice to be pursued, and hopefully affirmed after the Covid crisis, at a time when the international community is trying to shape new binding tools for tackling future pandemics. Addressing individual responsibilities of planned institutional violence via the existing means of international law is a concrete strategy to avoid repeating the gross human rights violations seen in the management of the Covid19 pandemic, not only in Brazil but by empowering communities and civil society groups affected by their quest for reparation.
Programme, speakers, references
Gianni Tognoni, MD, Secretary of the Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT)
Eloisa Machado, Arns Commission, Brazil
Santiago Alcazar, Fiocruz Foundation, former head of the WHO delegation of Brazil
Armando de Negri, MD, advisor on health systems and emergencies at PAHO (TBC)
The debate will be moderated by
Nicoletta Dentico, director of the Global Health Justice Program, Society for International Development
More about this session
Public policy debate organized by Society for International Development (SID) and PPT
Language(s): English and Portuguese confirmed
Contact: Nicoletta Dentico, Society for International Development
Register here (Zoom) for all public sessions
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