§ Lieut.-Commander FLETCHERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now make a statement regarding the treatment of Lady Hastings, Lady Marion Cameron, and Mr. Freeman by the Brazilian authorities?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEMy right hon. Friend has now received a full report on this subject from His Majesty's Ambassador at Rio de Janeiro. It appears from this report that the Brazilian police authorities believed that Lady Hastings, Lady Marion Cameron and Mr. Freeman were visiting Brazil with the intention of instigating an agitation in connection with the treatment of prisoners arrested after the communist outbreaks of last November. The police therefore detained the party on arrival at Rio de Janeiro on the 24th February and kept them under police supervision until their departure on the 8th March. They resided at a hotel, and an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was placed at their disposal and instructed to show them over various institutions and to provide them with such information as they required.
The report adds that, as a result, according to the account given by the Brazilian authorities, of the party having attempted to elude their escort, they were summoned to the Central Police Station on the 5th March. Lady Hastings and Lady Marion Cameron were, as the result of intervention by His Majesty's Embassy, allowed to leave the police station the same evening, while Mr. Freeman was 2310W detained until the 7th March, but, according to my right hon. Friend's information, had no complaint to make of his treatment while so detained. His Majesty's Ambassador states that he and the members of his staff, together with the staff of His Majesty's Consulate-General, kept in the closest touch with the party throughout and afforded them all the assistance in their power.