those years, Vladimir Herzog pushed the concept of the social responsibility of the press56 and came under
surveillance by agents because of his supposed activism in the Brazilian Communist Party.57 He also made an
important report on the first decade of military regimen58.
75.
In September 1975, a month before he was murdered, Herzog rose to the position of news
director at TV Cultura.59 The military intelligence agencies which were operating covertly inside station,
described the journalist “as a problem for the military regime” 60 and reported that his return to television
was evidence that “a process of leftist infiltration was resuming at that State-subsidized television channel."61
This view was shared publicly by state representatives who accused the public channel of pro-Communist
propaganda.62
C.
Arbitrary detention, torture and death of Vladimir Herzog
76.
On October 17, 1975, a colleague of Vladimir Herzog, journalist Paulo Sergio Markun, was
detained by agents from the Second Army’s Intelligence Operations Detachment/Center for Internal Defense
Operations in São Paulo (DOI/CODI/SP]. On October 19, 1975, Paulo Sergio Markun asked his father to
inform Vladimir Herzog that he, too, was being targeted as a PCB activist and would probably be detained. 63
On October 20, 1975, Markun’s father warned Vladimir Herzog that he would be summoned for
interrogation.64
77.
The journalist reported what happened to Dr. Rui Nogueira Martins, President of the Father
Anchieta Foundation (a sponsor of TV Cultura). Herzog also went to the Office of the São Paulo State Secretary
for Culture, which had ties to TV Cultura, to report what happened to the State Secretary at that time, Mr. José
Mindlin. However, Herzog was only received by the advisor to the Secretary. 65
78.
On the night of October 24, 1975, two persons in civilian dress came to Vladimir Herzog’s
home and told Clarice Herzog that they were looking for her husband to report some news. Clarice Herzog
told them that her husband was at TV Cultura, and they could find him there. She also alerted her husband to
what had happened.66 That same night, two agents from the DOI/CODI/SP went to the TV Cultura television
station where they asked Herzog to accompany them to the detachment where he was to give testimony 67
56 Relatório da Comissão Nacional da Verdade. Volume III. Parte III, “Mortos e desaparecidos políticos”, fls. 1794, del 10 de
diciembre de 2014; Brasil. Presidência da República. Secretaria Especial dos Direitos Humanos. Direito à Memória e à Verdade: Comissão
Especial sobre Mortos e Desaparecidos Políticos. Brasília, Secretaria Especial dos Direitos Humanos, 2007, fls.408.
57 Relatório da Comissão Nacional da Verdade. Volume III. Parte III, “Mortos e desaparecidos políticos”, fls. 1794, del 10 de
diciembre de 2014.
58 NERY, João Elias. “Páginas de Cultura, resistência e submissão: livros na revista visão”. Em Questão, Porto Alegre, v. 13, n. 2,
jul/dez 2007, fls. 290. DANTAS, Audálio. As duas guerras de Vlado Herzog. Rio de Janeiro. Editora Civilização Brasileira, 2012, fls. 60.
59 DANTAS, Audálio. As duas guerras de Vlado Herzog. Rio de Janeiro. Editora Civilização Brasileira, 2012, fls. 66; GASPARI,
Elio. A Ditadura Encurralada. São Paulo, Companhia das Letras, 2004, fls. 173.
60 Texto original: “[r]evela monitoramento dos órgãos de informação sobre Herzog, caracterizado como problema para o
regime militar. Informe de la Comissão Nacional da Verdade. Volume I. Parte III, “Métodos e práticas nas graves violações de direitos
humanos e suas vítimas”. Capitulo 11 – (E) Execuções e mortes decorrentes de tortura, fls. 474, del 10 de diciembre de 2014.
61 Texto original: “[a] reabertura de um processo de infiltração de esquerda naquele veículo de comunicação subsidiado pelo
governo do estado”. Informe de la Comissão Nacional da Verdade. Volume I. Parte III, “Métodos e práticas nas graves violações de direitos
humanos e suas vítimas”. Capitulo 11 – (E) Execuções e mortes decorrentes de tortura, fls. 474, del 10 de diciembre de 2014.
62Diário Oficial do Estado de São Paulo. Imprensa Oficial. São Paulo. 9 de octubre de 1975, fls. 62.
63 Proceso No. 2008.61.81.013434-2 Justiça Federal - São Paulo, Volume 5, fls. 921 (número de hojas ilegibles) – Declaración de
Paulo Sergio Markun en el Inquérito Policial No 704/92, del 30 de junio de 1992.
64 Proceso No. 2008.61.81.013434-2 Justiça Federal - São Paulo, Volume 3, fls. 577 – Declaración de Clarice Herzog en el
Inquérito Policial Militar, del 27 de noviembre de 1975.
65 Proceso No. 2008.61.81.013434-2 Justiça Federal - São Paulo, Volume 3, fls. 577 – Declaración de Clarice Herzog en el
Inquérito Policial Militar, del 27 de noviembre de 1975.
66 Proceso No. 2008.61.81.013434-2 Justiça Federal - São Paulo, Volume 3, fls. 577 – Declaración de Clarice Herzog en el
Inquérito Policial Militar, del 27 de noviembre de 1975.
67 Proceso No. 2008.61.81.013434-2 Justiça Federal - São Paulo, Volume 3, fls. 466 – Declaración de Paulo Pereira Nunes en la
Ação Declaratória No. 136/76, del 26 de mayo de 1978.
15