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Brazilian Clothing Label M5 Textil May Lose Its License Due to Slave Labor Indictment

November 11, 2017

 

Brazilian Clothing Label M5 Textil May Lose Its License Due to Slave Labor Indictment, November 11, 2017

 

Clothing Label M5 Textil Officer May Lose Its License Due to Slave Labour

FOLHA, 11/10/2017 - 11h48

PEDRO DINIZ COLUMNIST AT FOLHA JOANA CUNHA FROM SÃO PAULO

Though the decision can still be appealed, the application of São Paulo state's anti-slave labour law could lead holding company M5 Têxtil, which owns clothing labels M.Officer and Carlos Miele, to lose the right to sell its products in the state of São Paulo for up to ten years.

The Ministry of Public Labour Prosecution indicted the company following an investigation that found that the working conditions at its affiliates were considered analogous to slave labour. M5 Têxtil would be the first company in the fashion industry to be slapped with such sanctions ever since the bill, which was authored by representative Carlos Bezerra Jr. (PSDB), was regulated in 2013.

Members of the 4th Regional Labour Court in São Paulo upheld the sanctions that were applied by the first instance court, including a R$ 4 million fine (US$ 1.2 million) for collective moral damages, as well as an additional R$ 2 million fine (US$ 613 thousand) for social dumping, which is when a company becomes more competitive by subtracting labour rights in order to make production costs cheaper.

Following a request made to freeze R$ 1 million (US$ 307 thousand) in company assets - the request was subsequently deferred by a labour court - the Ministry of Public Labour Prosecution filed a lawsuit in 2014 in which prosecutors asked for a R$ 10 million settlement (US$ 3.1 million), of which R$ 7 million (US$ 2.1 million) referred to collective damages, while R$ 3 million (US$ 1 million) referred to social dumping.

São Paulo's Ministry of Public Labour Prosecution called for the suspension of M5 Têxtil's ICMS license, a measure that is stipulated in the state's anti-slave labour bill. A panel of judges belonging to an appellate court issued its ruling last Tuesday (the 8th), opening the way for sentencing to start taking effect, even though no particular date has been defined. That is because the defense can still appeal the decision to the Superior Labour Court (TST), in an attempt to review the sentence that was applied. However, evidence pertaining to the case would not be reviewed at such a stage.

When approached for an interview, both M5 Têxtil - along with its owner, fashion stylist Carlos Miele - and its lawyers denied to comment. The company's press office told NGO Repórter Brasil that it would appeal the decision and it also used a PDF file to question the investigation conducted by prosecutors, as well as the evidence they brought forward.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/brazil/2017/11/1934372-clothing-label-mofficer-may-lose-its-license-due-to-slave-labour.shtml

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Brazil Increases Punishment for Possession of High-Power Firearms

Government hopes to reduce the number of high-powered weapons in the hands of drug traffickers and gang members.

By Lise Alves - October 27, 2017

By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL –

President of Brazil, Michel Temer, sanctioned on Thursday (October 26th) a new law that turns the carrying of firearms, that are restricted to the Armed Forces, illegal and a ‘heinous crime’.

President Temer sanctions law restricting use of heavy high power firearms to only the Armed Forces, photo by Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil.

With the new law, the government hopes to reduce the number of high-powered weapons in the hands of drug traffickers and gang members, who often are slapped with a fine or a few days in jail when caught with the illegal firearms.

With the new law, the government hopes to reduce the number of high-powered weapons in the hands of drug traffickers and gang members, who often are slapped with a fine or a few days in jail when caught with the illegal firearms.

“Let us enter increasingly more into a fierce and necessary combat, and make known that every action must correspond to an equal and opposite reaction. There is no way to treat outlaws with roses in your hands, you have to respond in the same level as the criminals act,” Temer said during the law-signing ceremony.

The law was signed in the presence of Rio de Janeiro’s mayor, Marcelo Crivella, who introduced the bill in Congress when he was still a senator.

Among the weapons which are now illegal to carry in Brazil unless you are in the Armed Forces are rifles, machine guns and certain pistols depending on the caliber of the ammunition. President Michel Temer vetoed the part of the bill authorizing the use of firearms by transit agents.

Unlike an ordinary illegal weapons charge, a heinous crime charge is considered more serious with legislation calling for tougher punishments and greater penalties. The convicted person is not allowed bail and the progression of sentence to semi-open regime becomes more difficult.

According to Rio de Janeiro’s Instituto de Segurança Public (Public Security Institute) from January to July of this year, 324 rifles, 22 submachine guns, 2,063 pistols and 2,049 revolvers were seized across the state of Rio.

 

 

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