The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called on Wednesday, the 29th, for a comprehensive and effective reform of policing methods in Brazil, following the operation that left 121 dead in the Alemão and Penha complexes in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, the 28th. The action, classified as a"success" by Governor Cláudio Castro (PL), is the deadliest in the history of the State.
“I fully understand the challenges of dealing with violent and organized criminal groups like Comando Vermelho; however, the long list of operations that result in many deaths – disproportionately affecting Black people – raises questions about how these raids are conducted,” Türk said.
In a statement, the UN highlights the official data from the operation, which aimed to execute approximately 100 court orders against members of the Comando Vermelho (CV), but resulted in the deaths of 121 people, including four police officers, and the arrest of 113 suspects.
The UN human rights chief said the country needs to “break the cycle of extreme brutality” and ensure that public security operations follow international standards on the use of force. He called for swift, independent and effective investigations into Tuesday’s events and advocated for the creation of a national policing strategy based on human rights.
According to Türk, the use of potentially lethal force must adhere to the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and non-discrimination, and can only occur when strictly necessary to protect lives.
The UN also highlighted the need to combat systemic racism against Black people in Brazil. Citing data from the Independent International Mechanism of Experts to Promote Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement (EMLER), the statement affirms that approximately 5,000 Black people are killed by security agents each year in the country, mainly young people living in impoverished areas.
“It’s time to end a system that perpetuates racism, discrimination, and injustice. Violations cannot go unpunished. Proper accountability processes must lead to truth and justice to prevent further impunity and violence,” Türk concluded.
