Court orders release of 13 activists. Sininho remains in custody.

247 - The Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice (TJ-RJ) ordered the release, this Tuesday (15), of 13 of the 19 people arrested last Saturday on charges of forming a criminal gang. The decision was issued by Judge Siro Darlan. Six people remain in custody, including activist Elisa Quadros Sanzi, known as Sininho, and nine others are fugitives.

Last weekend, Judge Flávio Itabaiana de Oliveira Nicolau, of the 27th Criminal Court of Rio de Janeiro, issued 26 arrest warrants against people who, according to the police investigation, orchestrated violent acts to be committed the following day, the Sunday of the World Cup final. Police managed to execute 17 of these arrest warrants. Two other people were arrested in the act, one for drug possession and the other for possession of a firearm without authorization.

Below is the article from Agência Brasil:

Courts begin releasing activists arrested in Rio.

Douglas Corrêa and Alana Gandra* - Reporters for Agência Brasil

The Rio de Janeiro court released six of the 17 people arrested in Operation Firewall, carried out last Saturday (12), to fulfill 26 arrest warrants and two search and seizure warrants issued by the court. The decision to release the prisoners was made by Judge Siro Darlan, of the 7th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Justice.

In the operation, 17 people were arrested and two minors were apprehended for involvement in violent acts during demonstrations in Rio. The operation is a continuation of investigations initiated in September of last year by the Cybercrime Repression Unit (DRCI).

The lawyer for the Union of Professional Journalists of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Lucas Sada, reported that three habeas corpus petitions have been confirmed so far, benefiting six detainees. One of them was obtained by the union on behalf of Joseane Maria Araújo de Freitas, a radio broadcaster for Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC). The others were obtained by the Institute of Human Rights Defenders (IDDH) for Gabriel da Silva Marinho and Gerusa Lopes Diniz, and by lawyer Marino D'Icarahy for Rafael Rego Barros Caruso.

D'Icarahy added that, by extension, the habeas corpus also benefited lawyer Eloysa Samy Santiago and Karlayne Moraes da Silva Pinheiro.

Sada told Agência Brasil that the expectation is that, tomorrow (16), release orders will be granted for the other activists arrested in Operation Firewall, by the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro.

The 26 temporary arrest warrants for five days were issued by Judge Flávio Itabaiana, of the 27th Criminal Court of the capital, and the two search and seizure warrants were issued by the Juvenile Court. The activists are charged with the crime of forming an armed gang, which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.

Since 17 PM, several people had been gathering in front of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice to protest the arrest of the activists. According to the protesters, there were 300 people at the demonstration, while the Military Police counted 200. They marched through the streets of downtown Rio, carrying banners, flags, and chanting slogans.

Most of the protesters, before hearing the news about the granting of habeas corpus to some of those detained in Operation Firewall, were demanding the release of the prisoners and condemning police violence. According to the Journalists' Union of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, which participated in the event, at least 15 journalists were attacked by military police in a protest near the Maracanã Stadium, last Sunday (13), the day of the World Cup final. Also according to the union, from August of last year until today, 90 media professionals have been assaulted in demonstrations.

Among the protesters at Tuesday's demonstration were students, lawyers, union members, teachers, and media professionals. A group of EBC employees showed solidarity with their detained colleague. Student Lucas Albuquerque, 18, was at the protest and defended the "right to have rights." "The State does not have the right to break telephone and internet secrecy, to suspend the rights of people who were possibly going to demonstrate on the day of the World Cup final," he opined. "This is a State of Exception."

Joseane's sister received the news of her release while participating in the march. Simone Freitas said she had been out of contact with her sister since Saturday. "We were surprised by this arrest. We don't know of any activity of hers as an activist. She participated in protests like many people, but that's all," she revealed.

* Contributed by Isabela Vieira