14 December 2005
Rayfran Sales and Clodoaldo Batista, the two Brazilian men convicted of killing American nun, Sister Dorothy Stang, under orders from a group of ranchers angry about Sister Dorothy’s work advocating the rights of peasant farmers, began long prison sentences (27 and 17 years, respectively) on Sunday. Sister Dorothy’s friends, family, and fellow environmental and peasant advocates said that they intend to pursue the ranchers accused of ordering the murder — three of whom are currently facing charges in the case — and hope that their work will serve to curb future assassination threats against activists, 772 of whom have been killed in Para in the past three decades.