According to this article from Brazil's OTempo newspaper, mock trials of U.S. President George W. Bush are to be held as a way of educating young people about the 'crimes' and abuse of power by the Bush Administration.The 57th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, commemorated today [Saturday], will be great occasion for new manifestations of opposition to North American President George W. Bush.
The Brazilian Center of Solidarity for the People and Fight for Peace (Cebrapaz) will promote a series of events throughout the week to collect signatures to install two tribunals to judge Bush, who is accused of practicing crimes against humanity.
"We are going to hold lectures for high school students to teach them of the international abuse of authority committed by North America," said Gilse Consenza, Cebrapaz' president, in Belo Horizonte (capital of Minas Gerais state). The first tribunal that Cebrapaz intends to carry out, according to Gilse, has no legal power.
"It's effect is solely symbolic. The idea is to create a "Bertrand Russell-type tribunal," she said, referring to the activist who created a symbolic tribunal to morally condemn the United States for using napalm bombs during the Vietnam War. [READ MORE]
For Gilse, this type of tribunal is important because it "exposes to the world" the evaluation of the Brazilian people.
"We want to condemn Bush and his terrorist politics," says Gilse. The other tribunal that Cebrapaz intends to create will be established at the United Nations and could be used to impose legal sanctions on the U.S. president if it is proven that he committed crimes against humanity.