Italian photographer Giuseppe Bizzarri was given rare access to Sao Paulo's most infamous penitentiaries where football fans could be sent if violence erupts during the tournament.
The photographer, who described the jails as 'crime universities', said criminal firm First Capital Command (FCC) control drugs and gun traffic in Sao Paulo, where England take on Uruguay in their second group fixture.
Crowded: Italian photographer Giuseppe Bizzarri
has been given rare access to Sao Paulo's most infamous penitentiaries
where football fans could be sent if violence erupts during the World
Cup
Insight: The revealing images offer an insight
into the packed prison cells, where football fans could find themselves
if they cause trouble during the tournament
Conditions: Single beds sleep up to five people
in the over-crowded prisons in Sao Paulo which Mr Bizzarri described as
'crime universities', adding criminal organisations 'send the plans to
the individuals who are outside'
The photographer, who has lived in Brazil for 20 years, said: 'Brazilian prisons are like a crime university.
'The main criminal organisations connected to traffic organise themselves and then send their plans to the individuals who are outside.
'I think everyone knows it's awful the way they treat inmates. The reality inside Brazilian penitentiaries changed a lot ever since FCC has the power inside jails in the state of Sao Paulo, where most of the inmate Brazilian population is.
'It is not a coincidence the fact that FCC was born right after the bloody riot of Carandiru where almost all of the inmates in pavilion nine were massacred by the military police.
'FCC is a criminal organisation which has a great support in and outside prisons and it has an influence in the political world and the town halls.
'The FCC has already arranged two riots in prisons in the state of Sao Paulo, where they repeatedly attacked police quarters, banks and other buildings, with a strategic purpose.'
Organisations: Mr Bizzarri said criminal firm First Capital Command (FCC) control drugs and gun traffic in Sao Paulo, where England take on Uruguay in their second group fixture.
The photographer said the FCC was born after a prison riot in 1992 at the former Carandiro penitentiary, in Sao Paulo, in which more than 100 inmates were killed
Access: Mr Bizzarri has been given rare access to Sao Paulo's most infamous penitentiaries
Struggle for space: Inmates struggle to find
space inside the crowded jails, where clothes hang on lines over those
trying to rest on the floor
England take on Italy in their opening group match on June 14 in Manaus before travelling to Sao Paulo to face Uruguay.
Roy Hodgson's men play their third and final group fixture against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on June 24 where Mr Bizzarri said fans can expect a frosty reception.
Mr Bizzarri added: 'The UN already raised awareness to the prison conditions in Brazil.
'The biggest problem still is the overpopulation of prisons. Inmates usually have families and they leave their kids with nothing so wives end up getting in on the crimes as well because they don't know what to do.Power: Mr Bizzarri said the 'reality inside Brazilian penitentiaries changed a lot ever since FCC has the power inside jails in the state of Sao Paulo'
Schedule: England take on Italy in their opening group match on June 14 in Manaus before travelling to Sao Paulo to face Uruguay
Overpopulation: Mr Bizzarri said the biggest problem facing the inmates was 'the overpopulation of prisons'
'That led to the rise in construction of prisons for women, the majority of which are arrested for drug trafficking.
'One of the most transmitted diseases is tuberculosis which spreads rapidly because of the overpopulation.
'Tuberculosis also spreads outside prisons mainly because most times the inmate does not know he is infected when he comes out.
'These prisons really are brutal and no-one in their right mind would want to end up there.'
Mr Bizzarri said the FCC had already arranged two riots in prisons in the state of Sao Paulo, 'where they repeatedly attacked police quarters, banks and other buildings'
'Awful': Photographer Mr Bizzarri has lived in
Brazil for 20 years and said: 'I think everyone knows it's awful the way
they treat inmates'
A prison riot in October 1992 led to military police storming the former Carandiru penitentiary, Sao Paulo, in what emerged to be one of the bloodiest massacres in Brazillian history.
More than 100 inmates died in the massacre, with 102 being gunned down by police and a further nine being killed by fellow inmates.
Twenty-three policemen involved in the massacre were jailed for 156 years each for the killing of 13 prisoners while 25 others 624 years each for the deaths of 52 inmates.
A further 15 policemen were sentenced to 48 years behind bars earlier this year for their part in
Problems: According to the photographer,
tuberculosis is one of the most transmitted diseases in the prisons,
which spreads rapidly because of the overpopulation
Mr Bizzarri said: 'These prisons really are brutal and no-one in their right mind would want to end up there'
No comments:
Post a Comment