E/CN.4/1996/72/Add.1 page 19 transforming Brazilian society. Nevertheless, Pele recently levelled severe criticism at Brazil’s political class and called on the Afro-Brazilians to take their fate into their own hands by voting en masse for candidates from their own community at the forthcoming legislative elections. 36/ B. Constitutional guarantees and legislation against racism and racial discrimination 67. The 1988 Federal Constitution contains strict provisions to punish racism. It is supplemented by a set of laws which prohibit racism and a variety of discriminatory practices, including incitement to racial discrimination and racist propaganda, and racism in the media and publications. The following information is taken from a communication from the Government of Brazil, dated 8 May 1995: (a) Federal Constitution of 1988 (art. 5, XLII) prohibits the practice of discrimination, of whatever nature, like racism, which, having been previously considered to be a "contravençao" (a less serious offence) was reclassified as a non-bailable crime not subject to statute of limitations; (b) Law 1930/51: includes among the "contravençoes penais" the practice of acts motivated by racial or colour prejudice; (c) Law 2809/56: defines the crime of genocide and punishes the destruction, in whole or in part, of national, ethnic, racial or religious groups; (d) Law 4117/62: establishes the Brazilian Code of Telecommunications, punishing the use of communications media for the promotion of discriminatory practices; (e) Law 5250/67: regulates the freedom of thought and information, prohibiting the dissemination, by whatever means, of racial prejudices; (f) Law 6620/78: defines the crimes against national security, among which those of incitement of hatred or racial discrimination; (g) Law 7716/89: deals with crimes motivated by racial or colour prejudices, regulating, thus, article 5, XLII, of the Federal Constitution; (h) Law 7437/85; punishes practices and acts arising from racial or colour prejudice, in particular in the provision of services or in access to public places; (i) Law 8072/90: deals with the so-called heinous crimes, which include genocide, stating that amnesty, grace, pardon, bail and provisional release are not applicable to them; (j) Law 8078/90: deals with consumer’s protection, prohibiting misleading or discriminatory advertising as well as advertising that incites violence;