Amnesty International warns of threats against activists in Rio de Janeiro.

Claudio Julio Tognolli _247 Amnesty International, the world's largest human rights group, issued a global alert in London on Monday: Alexandre Anderson de Souza, president of the Association of Men and Women of the Sea (AHOMAR), a fishermen's association near Rio de Janeiro, and his wife, Daize Menezes de Souza, have been repeatedly threatened with death. This is all due to their activism as environmental activists. Following the murder of two members of the association at the end of June, Alexandre and his wife are at risk. They are not receiving adequate protection, Amnesty states.

Amnesty International suspects that the gang assembled to kill fishermen has members infiltrated in the National Witness Protection Service. And these protection officers, now with the fishermen, are believed to have been involved in episodes of attempting to kill the very people they are now paid to protect. In other words, they gave King Herod the mission of watching over the orphanage.

In late June 2012, the bodies of two fishermen and active members of AHOMAR, Almir Nogueira de Amorim and Luiz Telles João Penetra, were found in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. They disappeared after going out to sea for a fishing expedition on June 22, 2012. Preliminary investigations by the Civil Police division indicate that both men had been tied up before being drowned.

The deaths occurred after a series of threats against Alexandre Anderson de Souza and his wife, Daize Menezes de Souza, and against other members of the association. The threats, according to Amnesty International, are related to complaints made by group members against the construction of a gas pipeline in the bay and the resulting environmental damage threatening the livelihoods of traditional fishermen. On May 22, 2009, the treasurer of AHOMAR, Paulo César dos Santos Souza, was beaten and shot in the head in front of his wife and children. The following year, Márcio Amaro, a founding member of the association, was also shot dead in his home. Both cases remain unsolved. Alexandre Anderson says that, in the last three years, he has survived six assassination attempts.

In August 2009, Alexandre Anderson and his wife were included in a federal government program offering protection to human rights defenders. However, the protection was only partially implemented. He formally complained to the authorities on several occasions that the officers assigned to protect him were poorly trained and ill-equipped. He also stated that some officers had worked as security guards at the gas pipeline against which the fishermen are fighting, and that these protection agents had previously been involved in confrontations with members of AHOMAR itself. His wife, Daize Menezes de Souza, who works as an activist for AHOMAR, is not receiving protection, despite having received threats.

See the standard letter of protest issued by Amnesty International:

Urging the authorities to fulfill their promises by immediately providing Alexandre Anderson de Souza and his wife Daize Menezes de Souza with security and full protection, in accordance with their needs and wishes;

Appealing to the authorities to thoroughly investigate all threats against members of the association and to initiate a joint investigation into the four murders that have occurred in the last five years;

Urging the authorities to fully implement the State Program for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and to re-establish a permanent police presence in Praia de Mauá, near the AHOMAR headquarters.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE August 13, 2012 TO:

Federal Secretariat for Human Rights

Her Excellency Minister Maria do Rosário Nunes

South Commercial Sector-B, Block 9, Lot C

Parque Cidade Corporate Building,

Tower "A", 10th floor,

70308-200 - Brasília / DF, Brazil

Fax: +55 61 2025 9414

Greetings: Your Excellency, Madam Minister

Secretary of State for Public Security

Dear Mr. José Mariano Beltrame

Cristiano Ottoni Square, no number

Pedro II Building - 4th floor

Center 20,221-250

Rio de Janeiro / RJ, Brazil

Fax: +55 21 2334 9329

Greeting: Dear Mr. Secretary

And copies of:

Women's Association of Men of the Sea and Guanabara Bay - AHOMAR

Avenida do Imperador, nº 41 Praia de Mauá

Municipality of Magé

Rio de Janeiro / RJ, Brazil

Zip code: 25930-000