Sérgio Paranhos Fleury

Sérgio Fernando Paranhos Fleury (19 May 1933 – 1 May 1979) was a Brazilian police deputy during the Brazilian military dictatorship. He was chief of DOPS, the Brazilian "Department for Political and Social Order", which had a major role during the years of the Brazilian military government. Fleury was known for his violent temper and was officially accused of torture and homicide of numerous people, but drowned at sea before being tried.[1]

Sérgio Fernando Paranhos Fleury
Born(1933-05-19)19 May 1933
Niterói, Brazil
Died1 May 1979(1979-05-01) (aged 45)
Ilhabela, Brazil
Cause of deathDrowning
NationalityBrazilian
OccupationPolice deputy
Employer(s)Department of Political and Social Order
Known forCapture and death of Carlos Marighella

Activities

He became known for his participation in torture and extrajudicial killings during the military regime. Several prisoner reports and witness testimonies indicate that he consistently used torture during interrogations during the time of the military regime.[2][3][4]

Fleury himself was directly involved in the torture of Tito de Alencar Lima, known as Friar Tito, a catholic friar who fought against the military regime in Brazil.[5][6]

Besides using torture, Fleury was investigated and denounced by Prosecutors Hélio Bicudo and Dirceu de Mello for murders committed by the Death Squadron. The Public Prosecutor of São Paulo found him to be the main leader of the Death Squadron which was responsible for innumerable extrajudicial killings in Brazil. Although convicted, he did not serve time.[7]

His biography by Brazilian journalist Percival de Souza, titled "Autópsia do Medo", details his involvement with torture and several extrajudicial killings.[8][9] He was chosen as the deputy of the year two times, in 1974 and 1976, and received an award from Governor Abreu Sodré in 1969.

He was responsible for the killing of guerrilla leader Carlos Marighella in 1969 and for the attack against members of the Communist Party of Brazil in 1976.

Death and legacy

According to his wife, he drowned while out on his boat on May 1, 1979.

A street in the city of São Carlos was named after him until 2009, when protests resulted in legislation that changed the name of the street to Frei Tito.[10][11][12]

See also

References
  1. Memórias da ditadura - Sérgio Paranhos Fleury - Instituto Vladimir Herzog
  2. Linha Direta Justiça - Envolvidos - Rede Globo- (Portuguese), accessdate: 5/3/2015
  3. ISTOÉ Independente - Brasil- (Portuguese), accessdate: 5/3/2015
  4. Em São Paulo, operação tenta tirar nomes da ditadura das ruas - Jornal O Globo- (Portuguese), accessdate: 5/4/2015
  5. Baptism of Blood (Batismo de Sangue) | 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival | Helvécio Ratton | Brazil, accessdate: 5/4/2015
  6. Frei Tito memorial on-line (Portuguese), Archived 2013-08-17 at the Wayback Machine accessdate: 5/3/2015
  7. LAB - Brazil's Truth Commission, accessdate: 5/4/2015
  8. Percival de Souza — OAB SP, accessdate: 5/3/2015
  9. Autópsia do medo: vida e morte do delegado Sérgio Paranhos Fleury - Percival de Souza - Google Books, accessdate: 5/3/2015
  10. Rua Frei Tito, a antiga Rua denominada Doutor Sérgio Fleury | Diário Oficial da Lapa (por CARLOS MINNITI), accessdate: 5/4/2015
  11. Torturador na via pública | piauí_20 [revista piauí] (Portuguese), accessdate: 5/4/2015
  12. São Paulo tem 29 ruas com referência a militares ou à ditadura - Política - Estadão (Portuguese), accessdate: 5/4/2015
  13. Brazil Shatters Its Wall of Silence on the Past | International Center for Transitional Justice, accessdate: 5/4/2015
  14. Comissão Nacional da Verdade: Página Inicial - CNV - Comissão Nacional da Verdade, accessdate: 5/4/2015
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