The Federal Court ordered CSN (Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional) to hand over all documents to the National Archives in 1993. The sentence was handed down on Wednesday (26) by the 1st Federal Court of Volta Redonda, in an action brought by the MPF (Federal Public Ministry). The decision can be appealed.
The case involves files from the ASI (Security and Information Advisory), an internal structure created in 1977 and subordinate to , which worked to monitor workers, collect intelligence data and pass on information to . Access to this material, according to the Court, had been restricted by the company for decades, even after privatization.
In a statement, CSN stated that “it already provides access to its pre-privatization historical documentary collection, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and freedom of information.” According to the company, the material is preserved by an exclusive coordinator, responsible for maintaining the integrity of the documentation.
The company also declared that it remains “committed to ensuring that data of public interest is accessible in a clear and responsible way, strengthening dialogue with society and its various audiences.”
The decision determines that the National Archives makes a new technical visit to the company within 15 days, to guide the treatment of the collection destined for permanent storage. CSN must grant access to all locations where documents prior to privatization are stored, and will be responsible for identifying, classifying and evaluating the material, following guidelines from the federal agency and bearing the costs. The MPF will be able to monitor all stages.
In the sentence, judge Frederico Montedonio Rego stated that it is up to the public authorities to guarantee the preservation of national memory and classified as unconstitutional the CSN’s practice of treating documents produced when it was still state-owned as private.
In an excerpt from the decision, the judge wrote that the company became “lord of memory and oblivion”, by limiting access to records that tell part of the history of Volta Redonda, the state of Rio and the country.
In addition to the institutional dispute, the ruling cites investigations that point to possible human rights violations committed within the company during the military regime. Opening the collection, according to the judge, is essential to guarantee the right to memory, truth and justice, recognized by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and to prevent similar violations from happening again.
