Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s outgoing president, has traditionally pardoned several people in the country before Christmas. Some of those now freed are the 74 police officers who were convicted after a prison massacre in São Paulo in 1992.
Then a prisoner revolt took place at the Carandiru prison, which led to violence and the death of 111 inmates.
Prosecutors have argued that the prisoners were executed, while the defense said the military police acted in self-defense. Carandiru prison was closed after the incident.
Although the officers were tried and convicted, they have so far lived free thanks to several appeals, according to Brazilian press.
Bolsonaro has only nine days left in the presidency as Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the presidential election in October.
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