Brazil traded a military dictatorship for democracy nearly 30 years ago, but some are accusing the country, fresh off hosting the World Cup, of creating political refugees all the same. “Lawyer Eloisa Samy, politically persecuted Brazilian asylum seeker at the Consulate of Uruguay. We are all persecuted” The Uruguayan consulate in Brazil has denied a request for asylum from three Brazilians who are accused of “forming an armed gang” related to anti-World Cup protests and wanted for arrest based on what activists and alternative media are calling false evidence. The day before the final match, police “preemptively” arrested 28 people opposed to hosting the tournament in Brazil because the activists had participated in past protests and police suspected they would engage in violent acts during a demonstration scheduled during the final. Eloisa Samy, a lawyer who has defended imprisoned activists since anti-government protests rocked Brazil in June 2013, was one of those arrested on July 12. Formal charges weren't filed, and on July 15, most of the group, including Samy, were released after filing a habeas corpus petition. Three days later, police, who said they had been investigating the activists since September 2013, turned over their 2,000-page investigation to the public prosecutor's office. In less than two hours after receiving it, the office filed charges of forming an armed gang against 23 activists, citing a bus arson and an attempt to set the Rio de Janeiro city council on fire. Lucas Sada of the Institute of Human Rights Defenders criticized the public prosecutor's speed: Essa velocidade incrível com que a denúncia foi apresentada e recebida pela Justiça só reforça que há um movimento articulado entre os poderes de criminalização dos grupos This incredible speed with which the complaint was submitted and received by Justice only reinforces that there is clear movement among the powers for the criminalization of the groups Moreover, the activists are accused of supporting or being part of the Black Blocs, a protest tactic of wearing black clothing and covering the face with a mask or bandanna seen at demonstrations since 2013. Some protesters dressed this way have vandalized property or committed arson. They have denied engaging in any violence or belonging to the Black Blocs. Journalist Igor Natusch pointed out on Twitter that Brazilian authorities appear to confused the tactic for some sort of organized group: Em privado, um amigo dá a morta: Brasil é primeiro país do mundo a tratar Black Bloc como organização e não método. Que pioneirismo deprê. — Igor Natusch (@igornatusch) 21 julho 2014 In private, a friend jokes: Brazil is the first country in the world to treat Black Bloc as an organization and not method. What depressing pioneering Sketches of some of the activists who have been jailed since June 2013. Samy, her son David Paixão and his girlfriend Camila Nascimento were ordered arrested. The three sought refuge in the Uruguayan consulate in Rio de Janeiro on July 21, saying that they were facing political persecution. The defense lawyers of those arrested have found it difficult to access the proceedings, including Judge Siro Darlan, who released many of the activists after the preemptive arrests. Once authorities realized the three were there, military police arrived and tried to enter the consulate. An employee prevented their entry in what could have become a serious diplomatic incident, according to Idelber Avelar, a professor at Tulane University in New Orleans: Eloisa se encontra agora no Consulado do Uruguai, no Rio de Janeiro (Praia de Botafogo, 201), que a Polícia Militar tentou invadir — coisa que não aconteceu nem na ditadura militar. Eloisa is now in the Consulate of Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro (Praia de Botafogo, 201), which the military police tried to break in — something that didn't even happen during the military dictatorship. “The state intends to prosecute me because of my activism as a lawyer in popular protests. Most likely the prosecution will be to link me to a criminal organization” Eloisa Samy on 21 April, 2014 The Institute of Human Rights Defenders reported that military police with motorcycles surrounded the building while the three were inside. In a video posted on YouTube with English subtitles, Samy denounces her situation and the situation of all the others who she calls “political prisoners” and asks for amnesty: The Collective Mariachi interviewed her inside the consulate as well as lawyer Rodrigo Mondego from the Human Rights Committee of the Bar Association.