Iphan (Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage) determined the provisional listing of the former DOI-Codi headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, where an Army unit currently operates.
The decision was taken after being made by the Federal Public Ministry in conjunction with the State Truth Commission. The Prosecutor’s Office stated, in a note, that “the preservation of the physical structure is fundamental to the transitional justice policy, serving as a material record that prevents the erasure of the victims’ memory.”
Rio’s DOI-Codi was one of the main sites of repression by the military regime and the place where former deputy Rubens Paiva was killed and tortured in state custody in January 1971. His story and that of his wife, Eunice Paiva, were told in the feature film “”, which won best international film in 2025.
“Spaces such as DOI-Codi da Tijuca must be transformed into places of memory, for educational purposes and reflection on the consolidation of democratic values, as recommended by international human rights bodies. The preservation of the site, with the possible organization of a space of memory, is seen as a form of symbolic reparation for the victims and their families, who for decades have sought official recognition of the atrocities committed there”, stated the MPF, in a note.
The transformation of the site into a memory center was one of the recommendations of the National Truth Commission, whose work ended in 2014. The CNDH (National Council for Human Rights) made a representation requesting the opening of a procedure to force the public authorities to follow the notes indicated by the commission.
