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UN experts on Friday called for a swift and effective investigation into the deadliest police operation in Brazil’s history after a raid in a Rio de Janeiro favela last week killed at least 120 people, warning that the incident is part of a “disturbing pattern” of excessive force.
The experts pleaded with the Brazilian authorities to immediately withdraw from any ongoing operations resulting in the excessive use of force, provide round-the-clock protection to witnesses, relatives, and community members from reprisals, preserve available evidence and record possible violations, guarantee independent forensic examinations that adhere to international human rights safeguards, and use appropriate, internationally-proscribed standards on the use of force.
Also known as “Operação Contenção,” the operation was formed with the target of eradicating gang activities and crippling drug-trafficking syndicates that authorities contend aim to expand their influence across the country. The experts said that the sheer scale of fatalities stemming from the operation in the Alemão and Penha complexes, however, disproportionately affected a majority of its residents who are of African descent, leading to a model of racialised brutal police violence. Residents reported having their homes raided without warrants and being targeted with the use of helicopters and drones to fire projectiles. Victims had their hands tied or gunshot wounds to the back of the head, sparking concerns of summary executions.
These reports, along with the high death toll, have raised serious allegations of extrajudicial killings, which are prohibited under Article 5 of the Brazilian Constitution. Additionally, rights advocates have expressed concern over threats made by state authorities against relatives of the victims, residents, and rights activists engaged in recovering the bodies. The police incident is only the latest of Brazil’s security policies that are routinely criticized for endorsing excessive use of force against civilians. In a recently published report, the UN found that communities of African descent in Brazil were often discriminatorily seen as criminals, with the hypertoxic masculinity environment of the police force directly contributing to the overwhelming concentration of efforts in these areas.
2024 figures show alleged police involvement in 703 deaths, 86 percent of which were people of African descent. Rights advocates urge that the dangers of organized crime cannot be used to justify a pattern of police violence that systematically dehumanizes victims, recasting them as collateral damage.
Instances of racial profiling in these raids, which kill over 6000 people annually and are conducted under the claim of preserving public order, are especially worrying among rights advocates. Critics of the policies claim the numerous selective identity checks, arrests, and stop-and-searches deeply entrench stereotypes and power structures reminiscent of those during the colonial era.
Police violence is prohibited under Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 16 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), respectively.
The post Deadly police operation in Brazil sparks calls for investigation appeared first on JURIST - News.
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The experts pleaded with the Brazilian authorities to immediately withdraw from any ongoing operations resulting in the excessive use of force, provide round-the-clock protection to witnesses, relatives, and community members from reprisals, preserve available evidence and record possible violations, guarantee independent forensic examinations that adhere to international human rights safeguards, and use appropriate, internationally-proscribed standards on the use of force.
Also known as “Operação Contenção,” the operation was formed with the target of eradicating gang activities and crippling drug-trafficking syndicates that authorities contend aim to expand their influence across the country. The experts said that the sheer scale of fatalities stemming from the operation in the Alemão and Penha complexes, however, disproportionately affected a majority of its residents who are of African descent, leading to a model of racialised brutal police violence. Residents reported having their homes raided without warrants and being targeted with the use of helicopters and drones to fire projectiles. Victims had their hands tied or gunshot wounds to the back of the head, sparking concerns of summary executions.
These reports, along with the high death toll, have raised serious allegations of extrajudicial killings, which are prohibited under Article 5 of the Brazilian Constitution. Additionally, rights advocates have expressed concern over threats made by state authorities against relatives of the victims, residents, and rights activists engaged in recovering the bodies. The police incident is only the latest of Brazil’s security policies that are routinely criticized for endorsing excessive use of force against civilians. In a recently published report, the UN found that communities of African descent in Brazil were often discriminatorily seen as criminals, with the hypertoxic masculinity environment of the police force directly contributing to the overwhelming concentration of efforts in these areas.
2024 figures show alleged police involvement in 703 deaths, 86 percent of which were people of African descent. Rights advocates urge that the dangers of organized crime cannot be used to justify a pattern of police violence that systematically dehumanizes victims, recasting them as collateral damage.
Instances of racial profiling in these raids, which kill over 6000 people annually and are conducted under the claim of preserving public order, are especially worrying among rights advocates. Critics of the policies claim the numerous selective identity checks, arrests, and stop-and-searches deeply entrench stereotypes and power structures reminiscent of those during the colonial era.
Police violence is prohibited under Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 16 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), respectively.
The post Deadly police operation in Brazil sparks calls for investigation appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.