Rio de Janeiro – A 15-year-old boy was held Thursday (Jan. 16) by the Cybercrime Police (DRCI) for posting an ment selling black persons at 1 real ($0.42) on Mercado Livre, an e-commerce website.
According to DRCI police chief Gilson Perdigão, the boy was heard in the presence of his mother and confirmed that he had posted the ad. He told police that he failed an ission exam to study at a higher technology school and claimed that he would have ed if ission quotas were not in place for black candidates.
The teenager was released after testifying and indicted for violating laws against prejudice on the basis of race, skin color, ethnic origin, religion, or nationality. An inquiry was launched on Friday (Jan. 10), the day after a complaint was forwarded by the National Ombudsman for Racial Equality of the Secretariat for Racial Equality Policies (SEPPIR).
Police said there were no records of criminal charges or any previous similar conduct against the boy. The case was submitted to Rio's Juvenile Court and will be dealt with in compliance with the Statute of the Child and Adolescent.
The quotas for blacks are part of an affirmative action policy enacted in 2012, which requires federal higher education institutions to set aside at least 12.5% of places for blacks. In 2016, this quota will be increased to 50%.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Teenage boy caught advertising black persons online
